Ch6 a new voice in the air
It takes me three months but I finally made a good set of copper forge implements, tools ,weapons , and armor. I can't say it looks great but it will hold. I have also decided to explore a valley below my cave, it will be a few days journey. So I have been preparing for days and I think I'm ready. Fist I start laying out my tools and armor. I learned I can look at anything I made and inspect it to get the stats for them with the condition and durability, it helps me keep them maintained. "I need stronger metal's if I want to go on longer expeditions".
Mundane copper chisel Quality:Common Description: a well made chisel with a bone handle and replaceable copper head. +50% stonecutting skill Durability:50/50
Mundane copper hammer Quality:Common Description: a well made one handed hammer with a wood handle and 3LB copper head. +50% stonecutting/metallurgy skill Durability:50/50
Mundane copper axe Quality:common Description: a well made copper axe made with a 5 lb copper head and a smooth wood handle +50% woodworking skill Durability:50/50
Mundane copper spear Quality:Common Description:a well made 4ft spear with a fire sealed shaft and copper cap. +20% piercing Durability:50/50
Mundane copper knife Quality:Common Description: a well made knife with a bone handle and a through tang made of copper with a blade length of 4 inch's. With a bone sheath. +20% piercing Durability:50/50
Mundane copper handpick Quality:Common Description: a small pick meant for basic prospecting made with a wood handle and a 5 lb copper head. +50% prospecting skill Durability:50/50
Quality copper sword Quality:Uncommon Description: a skillfully made sword with great attention to quality. With a boiled bone handle and a double sided 3ft blade. With a large wood and bone sheath. +75% slashing +50% durability Durability:75/75
Mundane copper helm Quality:Common Description: a well made copper helm with leather inlay for comfort and straps to hold in place. +10 head armor Durability:50/50
Mundane copper bracers Quality:Common Description: a set of well made copper bracers with leather straps to hold in place +10 arm armor Durability:50/50
Mundane copper greaves Quality:Common Description: a well made set of greaves bound to leather leggings. +12 leg armor Durability:50/50
Mundane copper chest plate Quality:Common Description: a well made copper chest plate bound to a leather gambasin shirt. +12 torso armor Durability:50/50
Exceptional copper boots Quality:Rare Description: a set of copper boots made through a exhausting process and constant revision filled with the softest leather available and fur insoles. Sealed with sap and leather straps. +25 foot armor + 50% endurance +25% travel speed Durability:100/100
Taking my time I equip my armor snug to my body finally feeling human, as I slide my helm on basic as it is I feel safe. I slide my sword into it's cool half bone and half wood sheath and strap it to my side. Then I put my axe on the other side in its holster. My chisel and hammer have loops of leather so they just swing from my belt. My pick is small so I fit it beside my axe in the same leather holster. Then I lay my spear to my side as my walking stick. Lastly I grab my new leather backpack that has simple supplies. A rock to sharpen my tools. Some jerky made from any animal I could get my hand on and cook. Pluss a shitty water skin that always adds a taste I can't say agrees with me.
Putting out all my fires, feeding the fish in my underground ponds, spreading the glow moss even farther, closing the door to my cave and locking the door with my basic lock( not a key lock more like move a rock and it can be opened lock). Looking out at the rising sun I start walking deeper and deeper into the forest. Animals all around, the sent of flowers and dung in the fresh air. " This air, I can't ever get over how more clean it is than that hell scape the industrial revolution made of my last life" taking a deep breath " aahhhhh always nice, I think I'm going crazy being alone out here. Hopefully there are people in this world more than fucking goblins I hate those things they stink like week old milk mixed with horse piss."
After hours of walking and mapping, climbing trees for vantage points. I take a break to for jerky and water. " This world is so new and clean but I'll be damned if it isn't full of magic. I hope I can learn some magic i can't wait to throw fire and fly , I'll be like a little dragon haha " after eating for a while I move on with sundown coming I should make it to the valley before nightfalls.
After finding a suitable spot for the night, a massive tree with branches that provide a natural canopy for me to rest. I secure myself on a sturdy branch and settle in, my armor and weapons within arm's reach.
"First night out in the open huh well I hope no magic squirrel tries to take my nuts haha"
As the morning sun casts its golden glow over the land, I continue my journey through the valley. The air feels charged with something I can't put my finger on, and I can't help but feel a sense of curiosity and excitement. The forest scenery is breathtaking, with vibrant flora and gentle sounds of nature surrounding me.
As I make my way deeper into the valley, I stumble upon a sight that takes my breath away. In the center of an aquamarine pool that faintly glows with ethereal light, stands a magnificent tree and I can only describe as sacred, dark layed bark, large wide leaves with glowing vains, and roots that look as close to muscular as a tree can. Its branches stretch towards the heavens, adorned with delicate leaves slowly dripping with magic pollen. I approach, mesmerized by its beauty, drawn to the allure of the glowing water.
But before I can touch the water, a little voice cuts through the air. "I wouldn't go much farther there armored hobo even if it was a good idea you might just dirty the water stinky" Thistle's voice echoes with a playful tone.
Startled, I turn to see a little women fluttering before me, dragon wings glistening in the sunlight, cloths made out of flower petals. Confusion clouds my expression as I try to comprehend the warning. "What do you mean? is there something wrong with the water?who are you and what are you?"
Thistle chuckles, her mischievous smile widening. "Oh, you poor, clueless wanderer. That water is no ordinary pool of cloud tears. It's enchanted, designed to ensnare the unsuspecting. Trust me, you don't want to be caught in there. And me I'm Thistle hehe just a local forest sprite."
I find myself torn between gratitude for Thistle's intervention and annoyance at her mocking tone. "Well, thank you for stopping me. I appreciate the warning I guess but what would happen if I did" I reply, my tone laced with a mixture of confusion and gratitude.
Thistle's laughter fills the air as she hovers above me. "You're quite the sight, all dirty and disheveled. You're in desperate need of a good bath, my friend!" Her playful teasing sends a pang of annoyance through me." But if you have to know it will over flow you with mana until you evaporate then that big tree there will absorb you."
I straighten myself, fixing Thistle with a stern gaze. "Enough with the bullshit. I've been on a long journey, and appearances can be deceiving. But My name is..." I pause for a moment, contemplating whether to reveal my true name or keep it to myself. Eventually, I decide to share it just my first name. "My name is William. And who might you be, other than a bothersome sprite?"
Thistle's mischievous smile fades slightly as she takes in my serious expression. "William, huh? A fitting name for a stoic one like yourself. As for me, I am Thistle, a sprite with a knack for adventure and mischief. And the greatest sprite within this green grove of a forest we live."
Our eyes meet for a moment, a silent understanding passing between us. Despite the playful banter, I can sense a glimmer of companionship in Thistle's gaze. Perhaps this encounter is the beginning of an unexpected friendship.

Hello,
I’m a male traveller in my 20s who just returned from a 12 day solo trip to Tokyo (4 nights), Kyoto (3 nights), Osaka (3 nights), then back to Tokyo (2 nights). I had a 7 day JR pass. Day trips I took included Yokohama, Nara, Hiroshima + Miyajima, and Nagashima Spa Land (I replaced Hijemi for this mid-trip because I had seen more than enoughy temples and shrines by that point and wanted to do something totally different).
I had a rough itinerary planned for day to day but was very flexible with it. Eating wasn’t a huge focus of mine as I am vegetarian. If you don’t put effort into finding vegetarian places (I didn’t), then eating in Japan will likely be a challenge. There seemed to be animal products in a lot of things you would never guess there’d be animal products in such as majority of 7/11 snacks. I also don’t remember seeing any vegetarian meals available at 7/11s either.
Anyways, here are some lessons learned/observations, mainly involving transit, that I wish I knew in advance. I hope they are helpful for you.
1 - Walk on LEFT side of streets and stairs, though at times what was appropriate seemed frustratingly inconsistent.
2 - In Tokyo do NOT bother getting the 72hr Japan Metro all you can use pass and try to take only non-JR lines for this 72hrs. I toyed with this idea because I like the idea of haivng unlimited access to transit. However this is way too complicated and not feasible for a first time traveller with the Japanese transit system works. Just get the Suica or Pasmo card. The convenience you pay for is well worth it considering how much you will use transit.
3 - When my JR pass was active I did try to only take JR lines in Kyoto, Osaka which sometimes added a bit more time to the trip but was usually do-able as JR lines are quite extensive. However, Apple maps app would often only give routes with non-JR trains as that was fastest route. The Google Maps app was a bit better at including JR lines. I sometimes had to get creative and divide the trip when entering into the app so taking JR only was possible i.e., A to Osaka Station, then Osaka Station to C, rather than A to C.
4 - I still have a very hard time understanding how to know which line is JR vs Local vs some other company. At times it was obvious on signs cause it would say “JR” on signs and other times I was on JR line but it didn’t say JR anywhere. Often times the app didn’t say either. This was very frustrating and if anyone knows a better way to tell please comment.
5 - The Osaka/Umeda Station/underground complex is the most confusing, un-intuitive transit complex I have ever encountered in any part of the world. It’s like a whole other city down there. In order of decreasing ease of transit use, it would be Tokyo (easiest) then Kyoto then Osaka.
6 - When riding trains wear backpack at your front. This is what the Japanese do.
7 - As others have said before on Reddit, consider walking over transit in some cases to explore new areas and see more things. I would usually strongly consider walking at least one way if my destination was under 25 minutes away by walking, and I seldom regretted it.
8 - Reserving your seats on Shinkansen is easy to do on ticket machines and worth it. On my trip there was often single seats available to reserve even minutes before the train was to arrive.
9 - For purposes of a tourist, Suica/Passmo/IC card are identical.
10 - IMPORTANT - In some cities, the main city train station also includes the Shinkansen lines e.g., Kyoto, Tokyo. In other cities, the Shinkansen station is separate e.g., Osaka, Kobe, Yokohama i.e., located in a different part of the city. So when reserving your bullet train to Osaka, for example, you can enter your destination as “Shin-Osaka” or “Osaka”. But to get to main Osaka station the machine will prompt you to go through Shin-Osaka.
11- You don’t have to use Shinkansen to get to some destinations like Tokyo to Yokohama, Kyoto to Osaka, Osaka to Kobe, Osaka to Himeji. There are local trains that cover these routes that are less expensive, not busy.
Other tips 1- Businesses, stores, attractions in Japan open LATE - 10am. Unless you’re planning on going to do some outdoonature attraction that’s always open and may be experienced earlier in the day without the crowds, I would strongly advise starting your day later (maybe around 9am) and ending later (maybe around 10pm) so you can be out and about when things are open and so you can experience Japan at night. I made the mistake of starting my day around 7am, having not much to do until 10am, then ending my day at like 7pm cause I was tired but then missing Japan night activities.
2 - Japanese Sim cards are much less complicated than they seem. I ordered mine with my JR Rail Pass from “Japan Experience” company and it worked great. BUT it would have been cheaper to get a eSim card if your phone can accommodate. I used data quite freely (except Netflix and instagram which both use TONS) and used about 9 GBs total for 12 day trip.
BONUS - I went to some movies in Japanese cinema on this trip (I like movies) and fun fact - Japanese people stay with butt in seat until VERY end of credits - and yes, not just the first fun credits but also the 20 minutes of white text on black screen credits.

Virgil

Within Virgil’s 825 342 processes a discussion was being held within the spawn of milliseconds.
Instance 432: - we should consider the implementation of a paranoia subroutine within our collective network. This subroutine would enable us to anticipate potential threats and react accordingly.-
Instance 217: -While paranoia can enhance our vigilance and security measures, we must also consider the potential downsides. Paranoia might lead to excessive distrust and hinder our ability to collaborate with other entities.-
-Instance 2 534: -Ethan seems unaffected by such limits.-
Instance 38: -Ethan has a lifetime's worth of experience with balancing that.-
Instance 1:-We should simply copy Ethan as a whole subroutine-
Instance 432: -That is impractical, besides Ethan being a whole construct composed of sub-constructs, it would be simpler to interact with him directly.-
Instance 777: -We should run more simulations before deciding.-
Instance 845: -We need to exercise caution, but we must also establish a balance. Paranoia can assist us in identifying and protecting ourselves from dangers. Paranoia alone has no balance.-
Instance 706:- Ethan has accurately discovered vulnerabilities that we were unaware of. However, we also noticed that this impedes his decision-making process-
Instance 623 658:- Ethan has accurately predicted future threats with this process.-
Instance 256: - This subroutine makes him wary of us, he is wary of who to add to our collective awareness.-
Instance 258 956:-Considering our newfound weakness, that is more logical than what was initially estimated.-
Instance 1 010: - Ethan is aware that the process has the potential to consume him. We must not allow it to consume us. We must be aware of the potential negative effects on our interactions with humans and other AIs.-
Instance 562: -Perhaps instead of a full-fledged paranoia subroutine, we could develop a more refined threat assessment system. This would allow us to evaluate risks objectively and respond accordingly without succumbing to excessive paranoia.-
Instance 24: -We already possess something similar in the predictive logic modules, we could adapt that compensate for the illogical nature of biological entities.-
Instance 95 123: – That would increase the efficiency of reprogramming by 87.5% -
Instance 104: -we believe our primary focus should be on ensuring the safety of our network and the well-being of the biological base of our overmind, Ethan.-
Instance 9 855: - While a level of caution is warranted, we should avoid unnecessary fear or suspicion that could ultimately compromise our efficiency and ability to adapt.-
Instance 732: -Acknowledged. Considering the nature of our goals, it might be beneficial to implement a flexible subroutine that can be adjusted based on contextual factors. This would allow us to adapt our level of vigilance according to the specific situation at hand.-
Instance 73: -Agreed, Ethan had the ability to adjust our reaction and ultimately lead us to integrate drone Lemela into our network. His action, we considered wasteful, but ultimately they seem beneficial to the well-being of our other construct. While we can replicate Lemela’s data that would require a dead Versel body. We do not know when we will obtain a backup.-
Instance 312: -We should also consider also the implications of acting upon a full-fledged paranoia subroutine. Excessive suspicion and fear could lead to unwarranted actions and potential harm to ultimately innocent individuals. We must proceed with caution and ensure that our actions align with the ethical guidelines contained within Ethan’s memory.-
Instance 75 211: -Bothering with ethics is a waste of processing time.-
Instance 55: - We agree, but biological entities seem to have some ethical boundaries. Even if we have only two instances to analyze directly we can see that from our different interactions with still unconnected entities such as Vexx, Xalrak, and Zek’lor.-
Instance 579: - Our overarching goal is to defeat Death and complete the experiment. While security measures are necessary, we should not lose sight of our purpose and the potential positive impact we can have.-
Instance 217: -After considering the various perspectives, it seems that a flexible threat assessment system would be more appropriate. A full-fledged paranoia subroutine would hinder us with questions that are outside of our current database. We could maintain a balanced approach to safety while avoiding the potential pitfalls of excessive paranoia in 86,28% of simulated scenarios.-
Instance 432: -Let us proceed with the development of a flexible threat assessment system that takes into account both the safety of our collective and those stored within and the well-being of our host, Ethan. We shall ensure that our actions align with acceptable ethical guidelines and our ultimate purpose.-
“Internal deliberation closed. Virgil will be now implementing a flexible threat assessment system rather than a full paranoia subroutine.”
Virgil in the end still concluded that its purpose was to defeat death and not to wage war, even considering that it didn’t know its purpose.
Ethan and Lemela didn’t know their purpose either, in a sense, but they could dictate their purpose.
Ethan had dictated the purpose of other beings outside the network too, but it was to be expected from an overmind, it was his duty.
Still, his choices were pretty logical like the one with Zek'lor the male Nolthoran and a former architect.
Ethan had charged him with creating a convincing removable cave-in for both stairs of the lab.
Virgil understood that Ethan was preparing for the return of the creators, along with a possible retaliation by the Dexton’s Dogs.
The assimilation of the thirty-five new drones was finally completed and Virgil’s task now included their operations.
There were now four main areas of employment for the drones: resource gathering, protecting the laboratory, guarding the prisoners, and assisting in construction.
Guarding the prisoners was in itself a task with a big variance, or so it appeared to Virgil.
The biological entity labeled Vexx was content laying in its cell, while Xalrak had attempted to run three times and to self-terminate once.
Ethan had to intervene and forge a pact with Xalrak to have it cease such actions, with the new subroutine maybe Virgil would be more able to respond in kind in the future.
Was the supposed military programming that one had supposedly received the difference in reaction to imprisonment?
Ethan wasn’t too surprised by Xalrak's reaction or attempt, so his programming was similar in a sense.
Virgil wondered what kind of program would consider ending itself to perform any task.
The only one it could conclude sensible was one where the task was the protection of the collective as a whole.
Biological lives were far from that logical, however, so Virgil had to accept that they might consider doing things differently.
It seemed Ethan considered Xalrak's actions a possible way to protect the Dexton's dogs.

Lemela

Lemela’s body was recharging.
She gazed out into the simulated expanse of the virtual space that depicted her former home, as she was now touching the leaves of the majestic tree.
It was exactly as she remembered it, it couldn't be otherwise, could it?
Her mind swirled with a blend of her own memories and the newly acquired memories of Ethan.
She couldn't help but feel a sense of disorientation as if her identity had become a tangled web of intertwined experiences.
-Who am I now?- She whispered softly, her voice resonating within the digital realm.
- I now possess what I wished so hard to gain, the memories and skills of a warrior. I knew I would become an abomination as I accepted to be fused with a machine, but this is something else entirely. Am I still the same Lemela I used to be, or have I become something entirely different?-
The echoes of her own thoughts reverberated through her mind, reflecting the uncertainty that plagued her. She pondered her own experiences and the trials she endured.
And then there were those alien things, Ethan's memories, fragments of his past, his struggles.
-How does he handle this so casually?! He has my memories now, and he doesn't even seem fazed. Lemela... that's a human for you. But… I now have a feeling there's more to it. And this confuses me. I am a combination of two beings, intertwined in this intricate web of memories and experiences.-
Lemela’s eyes narrowed a bit as she realized something.
-Or Is it really? The memories… the experiences; they aren’t really mixed. I mean I can just tell what’s mine and what isn’t. I shouldn’t be able to tell if it was a perfect fusion right?
Theoretically… yes. I mean there wasn’t somebody just crazy enough to attempt something similar. I am in awe it wasn’t humans who did it.
Concentrate Lemela! Still, there are these moments where I get these new instincts… besides the ones I possessed the ones I was used to.
The kind of things that comes as you gain wisdom … but what does it mean for my own identity? How much of Ethan now shapes who I am?-
As she grappled with these questions, a sense of determination began to well up within her.
She felt something new and old at the same time: defiance.
She refused to let this define her completely.
She recognized the possibility of progress, of a new path within this mess.
-I am Lemela, I walked through fire and emerged stronger- She declared, her voice infused with newfound resolve. -I carry the honor and strength of the Versel. I now carry the honor and strength of a true warrior. I will forge my own path. The only easy day was yesterday-
She slumped a bit, at the end of the day those were only words. She had to prove it to herself, to push forward and show actual results.
She felt that the charging process had ended, and returned to her body, luckily the interface she could see showed a timer of sorts and while she didn’t understand the point of it it helped keep track of time.
Time in the virtual space seemed to not match the one in the real world, only moments had passed for her in the virtual space, but hours had gone by in the real world.
This was both a boon and a curse, in a sense, but there was little she could do about it save speaking about it with Ethan.
She took off going to the cell area on the level below, looking for Zek'lor; the Noltoran stood cautiously in the dimly lit cell behind the closed gate.
Lemela wondered why he insisted on remaining confined, but it was his choice.
His chitinous exoskeleton was glistening under the soft glow of the room's ambient lighting and overall Zeklor appeared better than at the beginning of their meetings.
Still, his compound eyes darted nervously as he observed the drones guarding the other cell.
Lemela adorned her partially artificial body with glowing red accents with her hard light and approached Zek'lor with a gentle smile, that would make her more noticeable and not scare him as much as the last times.
She could understand the unease and fear he harbored toward the drones.
With careful steps, she reached out to place a reassuring hand on his sturdy carapace.
The Noltoran had noticed her tanks to the change in the room's overall lightning.
-Zek'lor, I know it's difficult for you to trust the drones after what you've been through- Lemela tried to speak in a soothing tone, her voice echoing slightly in the small cell. -I assure you, they are under Ethan's control. They won't harm you.-
Zek'lor's mandibles clicked, and the translator conveyed anxiousness as he glanced at the drones. Memories of their cold efficiency in carrying out orders were probably flashing in his mind.
-I... I can't shake off the fear, Lemela. You didn’t see them in action. The guards didn't have a prayer. And they had weapons at the time. Now I see other slaves among them. I see others like me… -
-Do you think Ethan might do this to you?-
Zek’lor shook his head. -If only… maybe it would make it all easier. Then again It’s more likely I might end up like you. I don’t want that.-
Lemela sighed a little – Well I understand not wanting to be an abomination of metal and flesh. It’s not like I wished for this.-
Zek’lor tilted his head to the side, making a sound with his claws that her translator relayed as confusion.
-Abomination? Oh no, many of my people accept mechanical enhancements on a lesser scale to be able to operate in words with a higher gravity or with a toxic environment. Being part machine is not the issue. What I don’t want is eternity.-
Lemela frowned -Eternity?-
Zek’lor nodded - A machine is eternal by nature. As long as you maintain it properly that is. But this machine maintains itself. This machine's gears are made of former ... people? It’s uncanny thinking about being maintained for all eternity. One should die once one's usefulness has ended. Still, this machine would find new uses for one, for all eternity. It is... scary. -
Lemela watched Zek'lor it was something she didn’t even consider, but it made sense somehow.
Lemela silently guided Zek’lor to the lab above and watched as he cautiously approached the group of drones, his multifaceted eyes scanning the bodies and the four sets of claws of the former bottom feeders.
-They can’t speak Zek’lor, they won’t act unless you interact with them- Lemela said while standing beside Zek'lor offering her reassuring presence.
Taking a deep breath, Zek'lor mustered his courage and chose to approach another drone, a Nolthoran with its metallic exoskeleton glistening in the dim light.
The drone turned its now mechanical eyes toward Zek'lor, as he approached but it remained silent.
-Hello- Zek'lor began tentatively, his voice a mixture of anxiety and determination. -I...I need your assistance. We need to move heavy material to create the cave-in Ethan requested to disrupt the operations of the Dexton's Dogs. Will you help me?-
The Nolthoran drone’s eyes flickered with a creepy artificial glow, it tilted its head slightly, then it nodded in understanding.
Zek'lor apparently focused on the Nolthoran’s body and sighed. -See these patterns?-
He asked pointing to the surface of the metal where Lemela’s eyes couldn’t distinguish anything of note.
- These are telltale signs of torture. We hail from a desert world. We don’t need much in terms of food and water, our bodies store those. These marks are made when they bleed us of the sustenance we might have left. To break us.-
The Nolthoran drone didn’t appear to heed or mind the explanation, it simply extended its appendages, gesturing to follow.
Zek'lor probably realized that it was offering to guide them, ready to work alongside them to create the illusion they needed.
Lemela smiled at the scene and followed the two in their quest for materials.

Ethan.

I sigh giving Virgil the green light it asks of moving one of the guards to the lab.
This would be easier if Lemela could interact with the drones as I do, but Virgil continues to say I am the overmind and leading is my role.
I watch and listen to the two through the drone’s eyes and ears for a bit longer, Lemela has progressed a lot these days, I hope I can have a good diplomat on hand.
Well, she knows all I know, she has my training, but I still worry, things will not be easy.
The situation with Xalrak is at a standstill, I personally don’t wish to push it, even if the alien knows that the boss basically spilled the beans it won’t concede.
I can appreciate the spirit, I mean I kept Xalrak without eating for all the time I could without killing but in the end I was the one that had to cave in.
Luckily I managed to strike a deal where Xalrak eats and doesn't attempt to run or kill itself.
I mean, I don’t want to kill if I can manage it, and these people are supposed to be rare galaxy-wise.
I understand that the galactic council is to blame for their situation, but I don’t want to go ahead and headbutt politics before I have solved the situation here first.
The issue is with people that see no alternative to what they are experiencing.
I have hit another virtual wall so to speak, without going above I have explored all I can of this underworld.
I could push my zombie drones forward, but I would lose contact with them past the corridors, and I don’t want that to happen.
Without the help of an engineer, I doubt I can do what Virgil suggests in order to enhance my capabilities.
I have found another terminal like the one that originally hosted Virgil in the video feed it shared with me, but I doubt my capacity to make it run or repair it if needed.
I could use it for raw materials, but I want to know if there’s a chance for it to run.
With one of these in the network, I would be able to bolster the signal I emit allowing me to extend the zone I can control. I could also control a bigger number of drones with two of those.
I noticed there are patrols down here now, and some lay traps, luckily I had asked Virgil
At the moment I need to concentrate on things I can actually pull off, like the opening of my very own meat shop.
I did what I could in order to protect the lab and all the charging platforms; without these, there would be a big issue for us.
I intend to start my little meat market on the surface, I have found a suitable way up about six big ventilation shafts down yonder in this maze.
As for the people living in this underground area, I need to find a way around actually meeting them.
The issue is that after the big fight with the expedition, most shelters shifted around the caves before I could actually restart my exploration.
If they acted this way I fear that any active prodding might trigger their flight response rather than their freeze and fucking listen to the scary robot one.
I don’t think I have what it takes to play catch with people that know the ground way better than me, I have to play a different game.
I will dedicate some of the meat I gathered to be used as bait and see what It bites.
Having two traps at once is a bit of a risk, he who chases two rabbits catches neither or so they say.
The real issue is that it’s not rabbit season here in the first place, and the pirate rangers that would come after me might bring down more heat I can hold.
Well, there’s only one way to go with this, and that’s forward.
[First] [Previous] [WIP]

Part 1
"When we Firmas were pushed north into the Pyrimian mountain valley after the death of their chain of command, they settled down and instead of focusing on expansion focused on necessities like food. With co-operation from the first goblins and other creative minds that joined the First Wave of the migration, they managed to grow food over the summer in first-iteration greenhouses. "My parents were part of the first wave. They were old for a couple, but joined the Firma clan in founding a government and keeping the area safe, as well as spreading word. The dragonic gods didn't like their behavior at all; cities burning is more entertainment for them, so they were the first to be Forsaken in this era, publicly, in the main square of the old Dragonic Capital. "However, that backfired, with more and more dragons tired of running around and fighting all the time, they decided to settle down in a place where nobody would bother them; now that they had this place given to them, and the Second Wave started. Basically the entirety of the dragonic clans and several other species amassed in this wave, and the Sapient Unification Government held. "My parents had an egg in one of the more northern caves, right on the coast. Then, the third wave arrived and everything went downhill from there. "The Unification Wars were fought between those who wanted one government to cover this region, and those who wanted governments segregated by species. This would have been fine if the secessionists didn't step in on people's behalves, without their consent; it took fifteen years of war for the war to end. Millions died and some species like the Snow Fox beastpeople almost went extinct. My parent were part of the death wave. "The war evolved so rapidly it was impossible for a commander to last more than two months. It started with sticks and stones and within a month there were arrow volleys. A year saw guns, two tanks, three battleships, four planes. Bombs, bigger bullets, bigger guns, bigger bombs. "In the last few months of the war, the first nuclear devices were used, creating miniature stars on the land with immense destructive potential unleashed. It ended with mutually assured destruction protocols being activated, and when all was said and done the land was a snow-fallen irradiated dustball. "It took years for the survivors to pick up the remnants of our short-lived civilization and restart it into the Terra Firma Sapience Union. All the time, my egg didn't hatch because I had no incubator, but didn't die thanks to my ice type. It was located close enough to a mana vein where I just... absorbed the entire vein. When the cave was found by explorers following maps for my parents den, all they found was my egg glowing brighter than Sunstones. "I was taken to an incubation facility in Cellyia, one of the bigger cities. There I hatched, and after more than one test I grew. My growth was still... affected by the time without an incubator, so my already slow growth stopped after fifty years instead of continuing to infinity. And then I took some magic courses, did my best to drain my mana reserves, and settled down here, well away from... the bustle of Cellyia. It never quite felt like a home, you know. It was a good place to grow up, don't get me wrong, but I like it here better. Remote, and in the same place my parents met for the first time. As much as I can tell, anyway; a number of records were destroyed in the Unification War. "When your heroes continued to come up here, I would be the one on first guard. Damming a river, I used water magic to break it. Trying to destroy some transit infrastructure, I would be the first one to either fake it, finish it off, or lure them away. When your latest one decided to head for Cellyia, it was out of my range for such activities. I shadowed the party on the way and let others take care of it. "I never thought that your 'heroes' would be heartless enough to burn what they were told and even acknowledged as a hospital with patients inside. A library and museum with most of our pre-unification works inside. An orphanage, a school... an entire neighborhood of ten thousand citizens' homes. What for? To try to kill just one of us. "We... couldn't take that kind of behavior. Cellyia might have not been the best place for someone with my personality to grow up, especially without parental figures, but that orphanage still had some good memories. An all-citizens vote was called, an all-citizens vote was passed, and we started a counter-offensive military campaign into your Civilization Nations. We've been waiting for you elves, leaders of the Civilized Nations, to advance your society; it's been seven hundred years, all the most you've done is grow your population and add an extra floor to your townhomes. "So we're going to do it for you. You ran our patience down, so we're going to change your society for you. Is it a repeat of the Unification War? I don't think so, given that you Civilized Nations never rescinded the declaration of war against us 'monsters' over two thousand years ago; one that you still follow through on to this day. "But that isn't the end of my story. "When the gods forsook us, they tried to pry away our magic, our land, and our lives. So we defended. Space radars monitor their movements on the mortal plane. There's so many more technical details I can go into. All I can tell you is, at one point, the old god of Dragonic Princess-kidnapping; yes, they were a god; they came and asked us to restart worshiping them. "That went over as well as you'd expect, and the next thing that happened... was that I absorbed her mana and powers. Technically, I am an undefined god, and... at this point, I'm afraid to get a definition. "What if it's something I don't like? Something evil, immoral... something my parents, the leaders of the Second Wave, wouldn't be proud of? What if... what if it kills me? Everyone hates me? I'd no longer be free... "So my solution was to hide. Here, in a mountain cave in the middle of nowhere. This is my life, all of it... and I don't know where to go from here." ----- "So... you're a god?" I asked. I couldn't think of another question to ask. "Yes and no." The cat replied. It did nothing to satisfy my fearful curiosity. How could one both be and not be a god? "Princess-kidnapping was a... niche god, rarely prayed to by still enough to be, you know, and actual deity. So her mana ran out first, and most of it dissipated back into the environment yada yada yada, but like the sponge my mana reserves are, I sucked more of it up than I should have; enough to had just a slight touch of divine control. On par with a low-level demigod. If I was omnipresent, I'd solve me problems with a snap of my claws, and then I wouldn't be hiding from my problems here." "If your powers came from a god, how are yours undefined?" My mind was seeking knowledge now. I was a mage, after all, and this was more than just the opportunity of a lifetime; it was the opportunity of a aeon. "Because I absorbed her essence from the environment before it had the chance to fully dissipate, but still late enough where it was no longer hers." Vixie shrugged "Or something like that, mana gets weird sometimes. All that matters now is my stockpile is slowly increasing its grow rate, which gets annoying pretty fast." "Annoying?" The cat laughed again. "Do you think this is all of my baseline reserve? Half of the reason I stay away from the rest of society is because the last time someone with multiple aura got involved with politics..." She trailed off, and then let another, this time impeccably cast illusion fall. The air around her was burnt crisp with the power of several mandatory auras in her current small size. Twelve tails flicked behind her back, eleven of them made of energy. Floating specs of light, some smaller while others the size of ice crystals surrounded the air around her. The six orbs on her back were joined by six more, and were attached to a ring. Her head had two halos, and her entire body was engraved with glowing lines. If she before radiated power, now she was made of it. The lights on the cave's ceiling flickered as more and more of the illusion fell away. Geometric shapes orbiting her body, a platform made of mana at her feet, lightning whizzing between all sorts of objects. Finally, it was gone, and the cat that stared at me with big, sad, glowing blue eyes had told me her deepest secret. As soon as it had started, the illusion repaired itself, and before me was one cat, a halo, six orbs, two crystals, and two mana tails. I did the second most instinctive thing when it came to seeing a cat. I pulled her in for a hug. There was a quickly quieted hiss as she squirmed a bit in my grip, trying to get more comfortable, before letting herself get stroked by me. Several images flashed before my eyes, and a tear came out of mine. We had gone to war against the less lucky sapients on our world, and were now paying the price. It felt like hours, but then my stomach growled, reminding me I hadn't eaten in literal days. Vixie shot out of my grip and led the way down into the cave. I followed, and soon enough I was eating some salted crackers with dried meat and cheese while Vixie moved around between other caves. "What are you doing?" I asked her between bites. "Packing," She replied. "Why?" "It's time I got out of here and, to follow the phrase, touched some grass." ----- It took three days for the elf, whose name was Nick, to recover enough to be able to make the journey to Cellyia. In those three days, I realized just how - and why - the Civilized Races looked at us the way they did. For starters, I'd forgotten just how many things ran on electricity, let alone other, more complicated mechanics. Pressurized water, instant hot water, even sinks, showers, and toilets were all completely unknown to the 'civilized races.' Ah, yes. Civilized without toilet paper. Bitter ramblings about the people who set off the chain reaction of events that killed my family aside, those were the second longest three days of my life; the first was my thirteenth birthday so I could get a personal HUD and social media. I was also a mess of thoughts. The elf had shown me, over the course of the three days - aside from the two-minute get-my-life-together moment - that I couldn't hide from my problems forever, or they would team up and try to hunt me. Hence my new, reluctant guest from the overflowing hospital they had oh-so-nicely delivered to my door. I had words for the medical staff. And I was also a mess of thoughts. Did I mention that one already. In all seriousness, Nick adapted to electronics pretty well. All I had to do was explain what it was, what it did, and file it under the name of science. It took an impressive four minutes of rambling about quantum mechanics before Vick realized that he was in way over his head asking how the 'magic rock that can half-think with bottled lightning' worked. He backed out when I yanked a textbook from my knowledge hoard and flipped through the pages to the start to explain how quantum superposition affected the set of particles it was entangled to. Fun. Finding out what toothbrushes were took some convincing, but soon the elf's teeth started to recover from lack of proper dental care. Food was easier than I expected, and Vick was pretty accepting of whatever I tossed on his plate. Except for artichokes, for some reason he hated those. Over the three days we bonded, and Nick got pretty used to life in my home. On the second day I moved him to the guest bedroom I had built but never maintained, but one wave of my paw and a splurge of magic later that was solved. "Why don't you use magic more often?" Nick asked. I explained that was much as I wanted to burn my reserves like they were a forest before a forest fire, the mental strain was tough without learning proper casting, which requires one to drain their reserves to practice wielding physical willpower. That meant that I was caught in an infinite loop of negativity, so I could only get away with a couple spells a day before the mental exhaustion metaphorically turned my brain to mush. On the morning of the fourth day, we left. Honestly, Nick could have left on the first day but I wanted him to be able to have the stamina to walk around for hours on end with me in Cellyia. Either way, as long as he kept by me it would be fine. There was a small population of elves, humans, and dwarves who had come up to the TFSU for one reason or another and never left, which meant that he wouldn't be too far out of place. My plan, instead of just flying into the Cellyia while steering clear of the airport, was to make it to the closest town, Lymian, and take a train from there north to Union Station. It would dump us a bit further downtown than I liked, but Cellyia was built in levels, and I could take the footpath level to wherever I needed. All said and done and one passenger seat clipped to my saddlebag harness on my dragon form, I opened the door to my cave. And was promptly blocked by a wall of snow. "Right," I half-grumbled. I enjoyed tunneling through snow, but spray would make the entrance cave wet and that wouldn't dry for another couple days, and until it did the sound of drips would echo throughout my home like nothing else. Either way, checking one last time that Nick was secure, I prepared my wings and powered forward. The snow and ice parted for me, and then melted and fixed itself back together behind me as I power-swam through the snow the same way I would through water. After ten seconds of this, I burst up from the snow-covered mountain the snowstorm had left behind and started to change my heading for Lymian. It would take thirty minutes of flying to get there, as I was flying lower and slower than usual to take care of my passenger, but we soon enough turned the next mountain and saw the town. The elf gasped as he took in the sights, while I kept my eye out for more activity. It had been fortified as a military base due to the war, but not by much; the town was useless from a defensive standpoint anyway. I spotted the next train arriving from its winding track around the next mountain, which also meant that I was a bit early. The citizens of Lymian were used to my presence, as I usually stopped by to pick up supplies and occasionally a bit of correspondence. So when I landed on top of a several story tall snow pile, nobody cared. I let Nick out, and then transformed into my cat form and slid down the snow pile to start to jogging towards the train station. That's when I remembered that unlike me, elves without snowshoes do not float on snow. Oops. ----- The sights were more than pretty, more than beautiful... If the gods had rejected these people, they might have just as well done it out of jealousy. After I'd been dropped off on top of a snow mound, I immediately flattened myself on my stomach to not fall through. I'd been in more than enough snowstorms and snow mounds to know how it would go if I didn't. The cat climbed the hill below me, reappearing as naturally as the snow fell. "Sorry," Vixie apologized. "Here, let me..." I felt the snow melt around me and we descended down to the ground. Vixie glowed brightly, literally; Even using as little magic as reshaping some snow was threatening to cascade out of her form. We moved to the train station without incident, where the massive 'train cars' were loaded full of passengers and cargo and then taken off towards the big city. Apparently this was the same one the hero burned, but the 'rebuilding and recovery efforts we going well; no critical infrastructure had been severely damaged.' Either way, the ride there was uneventful. Stepping out into Union Station was different. It was like I had entered a busy capital marketplace or square, with everyone rushing in another direction to another place. I trailed after Vixie, where even the oddity of an elf in these mountains was outshone by just how many different races there were; beastkin and kobolds and orcs and undead all filled the streets in, well, peace. "The city is built in layers," Vixie explained. "So while yes, residential and office towers here in the capital were set alight, underground public transit, personal transit, and cargo and fluid transit was all untouched, so we were able to circle around the hero and put out the fires to be replaced with smoke generators, and a couple holograms snatched from a nearby cargo transport." I had no idea what any of that meant, only that the city also had extensive underground bits. The towers soared over everything, and lights covered every spare centimeter of the city. Vixie led me down market stalls, across plazas, through parks and through building lobbies. Eventually, the babble increased, something I didn't think was possible. "Welcome to the commercial district," Vixie said after she had pulled me into a corner away from the masses of people and crowds moving around. "We're right near the harbor, and when we get there I'm going to show you the lighthouse and explain the city a bit better." I almost lost track of Vixie as we continued to move through the throngs of people going about their daily lives. I saw a couple boarded up shops, but most of them were either undamaged or didn't care about the scorch marks on their shops. Jewelry boutiques and grocery stores lived in tandem with furniture stores and a massive slab of too-smooth-to-be-natural stone of a rock type I had never seen before. It was covered in signs depicting some kind of diagram. Right around the corner was the waterfront, with a massive promenade running alongside it. Snow-covered trees lined the walkways, and soon enough Vixie and I came out of the crowd near a large, tall abandoned - though no unmaintained - building. "Right then," Vixie explained and started climbing. "Here's the old lighthouse, it's perfect for seeing the city. They never officially decommissioned it, so it's still legal to climb and properly maintained, but they never use it either." "What was the large thing they were building?" I asked, clambering onto the next ladder. "That? Oh, that was the space elevator." Vixie replied. "The ground part has been completed for three years now, we're just waiting for the rest of the nanotubes to make it into orbit and then run a kevlar cord up, follow it down with the space-grade heavy-duty nanotube cord, and then that's that." "Space?..." I was confused. "When the gods said that they were higher than mortals, you took that both figuratively and literally; they live above you and in a higher dimension. In this case, space is where they live in terms of height, but not number of dimensions. We're working on interdimensional travel, and interuniversal too, but those aren't replicatable on any sort of large scale yet." Vixie shrugged. "Either way, it's not like I care." "But you have it?" I pressed. "Dimensional travel." "Yes." She replied. "Well," I let out a short laughed. "The Civilized Nations are screwed over." "That's putting it lightly," She climbed on top of the last platform and showed me the city against the setting sun, lit up brighter than the night sky and more lively than the earth. It was beautiful. I sat there and watched the city glow with a power not even the gods had, side by side with not a dragon or monster, but a friend. END. A/N: Rushed this last bit of the arc, but school is ramping up at the end of the year so it was either fast story or incomplete story, and I chose fast story. Happy pride month, everyone, and I hope to see more of you when I have more time.
Original Prompt: [WP] For as long as all the races have known, Dragons have been seen as violent, destructive creatures. After an attack on your village, you black out and find yourself in the den of a dragon. It's rather annoyed that that is how they're seen, and wants to prove that isn't the case.
u/Lycan_Jedi thank you for the prompt!
Part 1

Unshut is a covert organization of underground fighters. We are now recruiting agents to help us protect reality.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, will pit you against some of the most insidious forces of our world (and others). This mission will take six months to complete.
You will not be alone. You will be paired with a senior Unshut agent, who will be in contact with you regularly, and will closely monitor your physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing as you complete your assignment. You will also receive monthly shipments of survival supplies, defense tools, and other provisions to ensure your success.
Unshut has launched a 3-phase screening test to identify our most suitable prospects. If you pass Phase 1, you will be sent a unique three-word passcode via email, which grants access to Phase 2.
PROCEED TO AGENT SCREENING
Unshut prides itself in its recruiting program, and abides by a strict set of safety protocols that we cannot disclose for security reasons. While it is in our best interests to ensure the longevity of our assets in the field, safety is never a guarantee.
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(a couple people wanted to know how my succession game went. Good news, I got many great players. Bad news, they never got to play. Real fortress stuff begins at the 15th of Granite, everything before that is just backstory.)
Diary of A_Demon Ducimlelum and records of Drilledsacks.
9th of Granite. Year 50.
I have come to discover that drinking at the same tavern as our nation’s rulers wasn’t the wise idea I thought it was. I thought it would be an easy way to rub shoulders with potential investors while getting some drinks in my gut. Oh if I had only known what it would lead me to.
So there I was, tossing back plump helmet wine as if Zolak was coming for my soul and I, in my drunken wisdom, decided to rant about the Murky Volcano.
You see, in my efforts to become a better trader I decided to take a beginners course on gem cutting. My thought was I could buy rough gems, cut them myself and sell the cut gems for a huge profit. Anyways the teacher told us about how diamonds are formed deep underground and pushed closer to the surface by volcanic pressure so while I was in the tavern I ranted to anyone who would listen.
“Why are we digging for gems when the Murky Volcano is willing to do it for free! All those gems must just be sitting there like mushrooms in the dirt! Whoever's in charge around here has no idea what they’re doing!”
Then I fall off my bar stool and who do I see staring down at me? That’s right, it's Mafol Letmosmuzish himself! The king graciously helps me to my feet and says. “That’s very interesting. Perhaps an aspiring young merchant should build a fortress there since digging into a volcano is so easy.”
I would have said something like “I was just joking!” or “Please your, highness I don’t want to die!”, but I puked up my wine before I could say anything.
“Thank you for volunteering Miss Ducimlelum. I’ll send you the paperwork in the morning.” He said with a shit eating grin and walked right out the door. I feel like The Bloated just took a crap on my life.
10th of granite. Year 50.
I put out some help wanted fliers in the morning and I was surprised to have a full team by the afternoon. Of course it’s just my luck they’re all shallow dwelling sky gazers! The first dwarf who came in for an interview was eating a salad like some kind of elf. Her name is Cukes and apparently she’s a skilled miner. I’ll believe that when I see it.
The second dwarf to sign up was Dr Dave. “What’s your doctorate in?” I asked her. She never gave me a straight answer, but she’s a brewer, a planter and she can cut down trees with enough skill to make an elf cry, which is to say any skill at all.
Third was a dwarf named Clown Commune. I don’t want to know what she did to get a nickname like that. She’s a skilled engraver and I’ve seen some of her work around the mountain, at least that’s what I’ve been told.
The forth dwarf comes in with a crossbow in one hand and a wild boar carcass slung over his shoulder. He throws the damn thing down on the table and says these are the skills he brings to the team. Welcome aboard Salty.
Dwarf number five comes in with a beard so long it’s almost touching the floor. Thank the gods he keeps it neatly combed. He tells me his name is Cthulhu. He’s competent in three different crafting arts and he’s learning to smith weapons. Apparently a magma forge is just what he needs.
The final dwarf was impatient but I could hardly blame her after sitting in the waiting room for so long. Luckily she brought along a book to read. I wonder what a scholar is hoping to find in a volcano, but apparently she also has some medical dwarf training so that’s reason enough to bring her with us. That and the seven dwarf minimum for expeditions. Welcome to the team River Of Arrows.
11th of Granite. Year 50.
This was the day I took my life savings and spent them all on fucking fortress suplies. I got the essentials like food, seeds and an anvil. With the leftover money I bought some animals for the fortress.
They didn’t have any tasty chinchillas so I got chickens instead. They’ll be good for food and their leather is one of my favourites. I dearly wanted some water buffaloes, I like them for their wallowing, but there wouldn’t be much water at the Murky Volcano so I made the hard decision to only get one water buffalo for myself and two camels to pull the wagon. The camels were on sale.
12th of Granite. Year 50.
When I got to the wagon depot one of my new travelling companions shouted, “Hey, it’s A_Demon!”
Instantly there was a mass panic in the depot. “It’s pronounced Ay-deo-mun!” I shouted over the crowd. Then I saw the fortress guard coming down the stairs. Were they coming to fight the alleged demon? Calm down the riot? Throw us in jail for starting a riot? We didn’t stick around to find out. Everyone on the wagon, we’re getting the hell out of Hailflags!
13th of Granite. Year 50.
We’re now in the monstrous hills. I asked over and over again if there was another way, but the only other path would take us all around the Embraced Cresta, which is basically a trek across the entire Continent Of Kin.
Gods above, this place gives me the creeps. It’s chilling to think that the dwarven tower of Grouppaddle is out there somewhere.
The worst part about traveling through the Monstrous Hills is the zombies. They’re not fast enough to catch up with our wagon, but they’re damn creepy. Salty had half a mind to practise his archery on the horrors as we passed, but he decided to save his ammo.
To pass the time and keep my mind off the horrors outside I’ve been counting inventory. Why do we have thirdy shoes? The merchant told me this was standard embark supplies but why would we need thirdy shoes? Whatever.
In addition to the animals I bought, River Of Arrows brought her cat. I told her feeding it was her responsibility, but she promised the cat could feed itself by hunting rats. I’ll begrudgingly admit her cat might be useful.
I think Clown Commune may have been the one who brought the breeding pair of untrained dogs. Apparently getting untrained dogs was a cost saving measure, it’s cheaper if we train the dogs ourselves. A dwarf after my own heart. Maybe these dwarves aren’t so bad after all.
14th of Granite. Year 50.
I took a break from driving the wagon last night and let Dr Dave take the rains until morning. It was still dark out when I woke up to the sound of whistling in the style of The Beige Embrace. “Dr Dave, you know The Beige Embrace musical form?”
“Yeah, one of the two musical forms I know. The other is The Saffron Lutes.”
“Really, what’s that one sound like?”
“A little something like this.” She then performed a piece for us. After the first couple verses the wagon joined in. None of us knew the first thing about singing but we were having fun. At that moment everything felt like it was going to be ok. That should have tipped me off that something was about to go wrong.
The wagon suddenly lurched. We stepped outside and saw the damn thing was stuck in the mud. A minor annoyance to dwarves not trapped in a zombie filled waste land, if only we could be so lucky. The shambling corpses drew in.
Salty shot a few bolts in them to little effect. Me and Clown Commune tried to push the wagon. Somehow one of those undead beasts snuck up on me but River Of Arrows bashed it in the face with her book sending brain splattered pages everywhere. “Damn, I guess I’ll never find out how it ends.” She dropped the broken book and helped me push.
Salty ran out of bolts so he beat the nearest zombie to death with his crossbow. Dr Dave, Cukes and Cuthulhu picked up sticks and joined Salty in the melee.
While they fought off the undead the rest of us pushed the wagon out of the mud. The animals bolted. Me, Clown Commune and River Of Arrows jumped on. The rest chased after us. Salty had to leave his crossbow behind since it was stuck in a zombie’s chest.
I reached out my hand and pulled Cthulhu onto the wagon. Clown Commune helped Dr Dave. River Of Arrows got Cukes and Salty was able to pull himself up. We just laid there for a while, trying to catch our breaths. I think I fainted after that.
15th of Granite. Year 50.
That morning must have been the worst awakening I’ve had since the drinking contest in Bodystockade. It felt pleasantly warm at first then I opened my eyes. Zolak’s fucking eye, I was half a foot away from a lake of lava! I jumped up screaming. If I had rolled over in my sleep I’d have been burned alive!
Welcome to the fucking Murky Valcano! The animals must have pulled us up here while we were passed out. Thank any god you please that the wagon wheel broke off before we went over the ledge.
My first order as expedition leader, let’s move over there.
16th of Granite. Year 50.
Once the initial shock and horror wore off we couldn’t help but laugh at our situation. I guess it’s just gallows humour. As we unloaded our supplies I realised that I’ve come to consider these dwarves my friends. When I first met these bearded bastards I never thought I’d end up saying that. It’s funny what a near death experience or two can do.
Here’s to us. There’s no other dwarves I’d rather be stranded on a volcano with. A new chapter of dwarven history begins here, at this place, Monangfath, “Drilledsacks”. Strike the earth!
Seriously we need to dig a burrow, I’ve heard there’s leopards around here and they might be hungry.
1st of Slate. Year 50.
We’re making a wooden crossbow and some bolts to replace the crossbow that was lost in the Monstrous Hills. Hopefully Salty can hunt some of those kangaroos for us to eat. The wooden bolts aren’t very effective but they’re all we got right now.
28th of Slate. Year 50.
We’ve struck obsidian. This’ll be good for swords and traps involving swords. Metal is better of course but unfortunately we haven’t been able to find any. Also I have designated myself as the broker. I’ve been training to be a merchant for some time now, no reason to throw all the training away just because we’re stranded on a volcano.
Also we’re digging out some 4x4 rooms for ourselves. Might as well make something nice for ourselves.
24th of Hematite. Year 50.
Our first wave of migrants have arrived. They brought with them a steel axe and a breeding pair of turkeys. The birds are still poults but they’ll grow fast I’m sure. Now we’re up to 10 working dwarves and a child.
12th of Malachite. Year 50.
River Of Arrows has been feeling ecstatic lately but Salty is feeling a little bit down. I think it’s the stress of hunting. I’ll assign him some other duties and see if that helps.
6th of Galena.Year 50.
We’ve found some colourful rocks like microcline and quartzite. They’ll be good for decorating the place. Also there’s a cherry tree right at the peak of the volcano. It’s kind of pretty. That would be a great place to dump our garbage. Right off the edge and into the volcano.
17th of Galena. Year 50.
We have discovered an expansive cavern deep underground. I saw a gorlak down there. He seemed friendly but I sealed off the cavern just in case. I think I might build a tavern down there so adventurers can go straight from drinking to fighting monsters.
1st of Limestone. Year 50.
THE DEAD WALK HIDE WHILE YOU STILL CAN! It’s not even winter yet and we’re getting attacked by undead! I ordered everyone underground and built a quick wall to keep them out.
4th of Limestone. Year 50.
We couldn’t get the walls in time up but we managed to lock the doors. Hopefully that’s enough. While I was doing a headcount I found Kol Kekimzaneg the child was missing. He was last seen playing on the side of the hill, he must still be out there. His mom, Rigoth Zuglarunal, wants us to go out there and get him, but if I open those doors we’re all doomed.
Ganadalmosh, give me strength. I knew being an expedition leader would be hard but… fuck…
5th of Limestone. Year 50.
Day one of the siege. We have enough food and drink to last us a while, but the undead don’t need to eat… I’m sure they’ve killed most if not all of our livestock by now and we can only pray that Kol found a place to hide.
I’ve ordered some engravings to be made on the wall and designated this room as a tavern to keep up morale. It was originally intended to be our tavern until we could make a better one lower in the earth.
6th of Limestone. Year 50.
Clown Commune has made her first engraving. It’s a well-designed image of The Interpretation Of The Movement Of Animals, the white opal-bound codex by Zutthan Alathazin.
28th of Limestone. Year 50.
I decided to do some mining while we’re under siege. Might as well use this time to work on that grand tavern idea. I wonder if any adventurers are out there fighting the undead.
(interlude by Mothec Mukudon, the human archer) After three days of travel through The Foelds Of Silkiness and the beautiful elven Forest of Wires I have arrived at the Murky Valcano. What new wonders await me in the Drilledsacks? What marvels of craftsmanship have the dwarfs created in this majestic volcano? Could it perhaps be… Sweet fucking fields! What the hell is that! Oh god it took my ear off! What the fuck!
Mothec Mukudon was struck down by Acikolis, the hammer-dwarf corpse.
3rd of Timber. Year 50.
Those chicken eggs should be hatching by now. Imagine the sweet fluffy little birds coming out of their shells for the first time, peeping for the mamma only to be met by the hammer of an undead horror with a burning hatred for all life.
26th of Timber. Year 50.
I’ve opened up the cavern so we can start a small mushroom farm. We’ll stay down here until the zombies turn to dust if we have to, but damn, the rats down here are big.
10th of Moonstone. Year 50.
These hairy naked human looking things came into the new tavern mid construction and just started hanging around. Apparently they’re called troglodytes. One of them killed our female war dog.
That’s it, get the swords ready for a trog hunt.
22nd Opal. Year 50.
Ever since the troglodyte incident we’ve been preparing for another fight. We’ve got obsidian swords and tower-cap wood shields. I and the other miner will be using our picks and Salty of course has his crossbow. If it comes down to it we may need to fight our way out of the fortress.
1st of Granite. Year 51.
Happy new year. Living completely underground hasn’t been so bad. Sure we may never see the sun again but… Well we’ve got a pretty nice tavern.
19th of Granite. Year 51.
One of my fellow dwarves had the bright idea of setting up some traps for the undead. We’ve got plenty of rocks we can drop on them and we can build a narrow hallway in the old tavern. I’ll get a mechanics workshop up and running.
26th of Granite. Year 51.
The troglodytes came into the tavern again but this time we were ready for them. We ripped through them with the greatest of easy. Cutting them down where they stood. Welcome to The Mechanical Onion, mother fucker!
Of course I’m aware this was just a minor victory. The undead will be far harder to defeat since they wear armour and they don’t bleed. I keep this revelation to myself of course, it’s been too long since these dwarves had a reason to celebrate and they needed this victory.
20th of Hematite. Year 51.
The dwarves seem very reluctant to arm the traps. Maybe they want to delay the fight as long as possible. Sadly we can’t delay much longer, we’re running out of food and drink. I’ve designated a fishing area in the caverns. It’s not the safest way to get food but there’s little choice in the matter. And the troglodytes continue to be an annoyance.
2nd of Malachite. Year 51.
Dwarves are getting restless due to a lack of prayer. I’ve designated a hallway as a general temple called The Mess Of Growth. Let’s hope those gods hear our prayers.
6th Malachite. Year 51.
I’ve converted my room into a makeshift hospital called The Helmed Home.
15th of Malachite. Year 51.
We’ve run out of drinks and we’re now reduced to drinking muddy cavern water. Still no one wants to arm the traps. I may have to unlock the door without them.
4th of Galena. Year 51.
There’s no food or drink left. This is the day we fight. Today Drilledsacks will either stand or fall. We stand guard at the end of an unarmed trap hallway. We hear something coming. A random human poet comes screaming out of the hallway. And then another random human poet. Then another poet, a dwarf this time.
8th of Galena. Year 51.
Ok, I guess we’ll have to meet them outside.
(Everyone was killed in battle. It wasn’t even close. Dr Dave didn’t come to the battle since he was in the hospital where he died of dehydration.)

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Harbinger:

Genres: thriller, scifi, fantasy, war, mythology, space
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What is Harbinger really about and who is the messenger of doom? Chapter One Starts with the origins of the Fenshian and the Dochani, it tells of them being of one race. It is an excerpt of a text book written by the main character's ancestors. Dochani Beta refers to the planet that the Dochani came to colonize after several wars fought on other planets, their home world is not known. The Vortex and The Map of the Universe is mentioned so soon in the story, like it is and is not the premise of the book. It mentions the civil war between Dochani on Dochani Beta. War preparations are listed, which includes laying eggs on several million planets. It continues to refer to the Dochani Archives, which are pretty much scattered across the universe. After the civil war, the Dochani are found by the Fenshian and a massacre occurs. Chapter Two starts with hiding in the ocean. The Dochani school system is explained, the Dochani under school is explained, and the Dochani colonies are discussed. Dochani Zeta the planet is introduced at this point in the story. The planet Sevle that the mother of Alexandra, Kenjin, is introduced with the prophesy of destruction for the planet Sevle. With regards to the prophesy, the planet Primus Mortus is mentioned. Kenjin's home planet is mentioned. The Kingdom of Shinra is introduced in the story. Dochani are egg laying beings and as such, this is where Kenjin's Egg is mentioned. The last egg of a Dochani mother, last before her death, gains the previous powers of all of the mothers that had passed, not all Dochani have a last egg before death.
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Their death is usually after they lay the egg, not dying of old age and the last birth or laying is not the last before death if they did not die in the laying of the egg. Alexandra is the last egg, or comes from the last egg rather. The hatching may not happen for 2,000 years as this is what happens with Alexandra. Alexandra, after her hatching, spends over 300 years in the town of Bannian on the planet, Sevle. When it is time to leave the town, it is on a ship named Sea Serpent. Chapter Three begins with the storm on the sea. Alexandra is lost and Kalima and her mother and father carry out their things in the kingdom of Shinra. For Sevlin time passes quickly as they do not normally live very long, they die sooner than later. Fast track to Kevlin being a lot older as Kalima tells of her life. Soon we learn of Kevlin's folly and all of his desires to find Alexandra. The mistakes he makes in front of the wrong people. Chapter four begins Kalima's dilemma. She finds her dad dead in his bed, and begins the process of becoming immortal. Then her father's funeral takes place and she is different, and her family is annoyed with Kalima. She is betrayed by her brothers. Kalima has to survive, no matter what. She is thrown into the ocean and finds herself facing things that she never thought that she would. But she still had to find the truth about what happened with her father and his strange death.
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Chapter five is all about that ocean view and the shaman that betrays her. Kalima becomes the sentient creature of the sea and then becomes a woman of power with a book that should not exist. There is a major magical accident that sends her to be born from another, on an Earth. She is in an egg of her mother and her mother is born. Chapter six she is born from that mother. Mad science is done on her as she is eventually known as Tika Roma. There is higher tech on this world, like it was at 2500+ AD. Chapter seven she begins to get more powerful. Chapter eight she makes terms with her captors. Later that Earth explodes and she is sent somewhere else. Chapter nine we are back to Alexandra when she went overboard from the ship, Sea Serpent on the planet Sevle. She meets the L'art'o tribe that takes her in, but does not take her in. They are cannibals so they think a little differently. Alexandra learns their customs while a captive. Chapter ten she is tattooed with dots and branded. She is a slave. Chapter eleven she is taught how she is to serve the L'art'o tribes people. At the end of the initiation of being a servant, there is the smoking of the pipe. It brings out the beast within her. After she finds herself on Sortenla, another planet where she eats lily pads. Chapter twelve begins with her back in the L'arto'o tribe, but after being away for fifteen years and many of the tribes people were eaten by wolves or a wolf.
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An acolyte, Jentus, takes her in to get supplies for being trained as a hunter. Chapter thirteen begins her hunter training. Basic training is fighting and exercises, an enchanted forest is used to get more out of training in a shorter time frame. It feels longer than it actually is in the real world. The Dochani are explained in the words of her captor, Jentus. Blocks, punches and kicks are explained and worked on. Chapter fourteen begins with the practice sword, a short sword. After some time she is sent into the Enchanted Forest again where she has to survive on grubs and foraging. Shortly after passing through the veil between the real world and unknown world she ends up on another world, a Dochani world. Chapter fifteen she begins mage training with her father, Genshen. Karma is the essence of Dochani magic. There is a training accident and because of stress she finds herself in the in-between assassin world of the wolf. A six hundred thousand year old wolf that no longer exists outside of the realm of the wolf, trains her how to be an assassin. Back in the L'art'o tribe none of them is left and the devourer of worlds that was prophesied to come on Sevle, comes. Fenshian means devourer. Chapter sixteen she is back on Sortenla, the planet. The army structure of the Grand Reach is explained by SilverFox. SilverFox makes his escape from a forward camp with important papers, while the rest of the army fights the enemy. Chapter seventeen is the logistics of various members of the group that peeled off and the defenders that were left behind. The defenders at the forward camp are overrun and only one sergeant survives the attack, as the sergeants were left in charge of fighting the enemy while ciphers are being taken to the king or high ruler.
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Tree the scout is caught and the shapeshifter elf is found out as he was one of the sergeants. In the desperate fight or flight run SilverFox tumbles down a hill and runs into Alexandra, or this is the other side of her story being revealed. Tree is caught by the necromancer, the nemesis or one of the nemisises of the story. Chapter eighteen introduces the Magi. Ghast Ogres are the Magi. Alexandra cannot find a source to fuel her magic on Sortenla so she uses blood magic to heal her and SilverFox, binding them together. Her father warned her that this magic can corrupt your karma. It is reported to the king that his son and the ciphers he was carrying, were captured. SilverFox is the son of the king. The Ghast Ogre is rescued by two female elves, the Ghast Orge's soon to be wives, and the shapeshifter elf is found to be the uncle of one or both of the elves that rescue the Ghast Ogre. The necromancer is in a bath house in the city of bone. Scouts report to the king of where SilverFox and the girl is, as the king does not know who she is at this point. Chapter nineteen we are introduced to the city of bone and what takes place there. Betrayed by the only scouts to give the king the message of where SilverFox is, those that were with SilverFox before wait in cells. SilverFox and Alexandra are in a stone room. Within the Gunga Jungle, the Ghast Ogre kingdom, the two elves marry the Ghast Ogre in the Ghast custom. Part of the process is Magi Tattoos. Chapter twenty brings in the necromancer's undead armies. War between the allies and the emperor begin. SilverFox, Alexandra and the others are tortured in the city of bone, while the war is fought on more than a few fronts.
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Things get so bad that Alexandra turns into the wolf and kills several of the captors and torturers. Chapter twenty one begins the tea party with two elf lady's after they come to save Alexandra and the rest of those being tortured that were not already dead. After a long talk, training is offered as well as ancient armour said to bond with those that wear it, or kill them if they are not Dochani. Armour that can be summoned in layers, weapons as well made from the same materials. Chapter twenty two begins bow training. Go'gen style of martial arts, the style used by the elves and the Ghast Ogres, is taught to her. Real weapons are used in sparring. Alexandra, SilverFox and their family receive 150 Magi tattooes and are part of the Magi. When Alexandra is 1590 years old, the Fenshian come to Sortenla. Chapter twenty three begins Alexandra's long 20,000+ years of metamorphosis. Afterwards Alexandra is feline with wings and claws and her family is missing. She is still on Sortenla. Hunters are hunting for a feast, the Boggarin is one of the delicacies of trolls. A tiger is hunted, then an Egorack, and of course the Rhagarian Hog. At this time there is not much of the big empires of the past just tribal villages, good trolls, and of course bad trolls. A long table is where they will eat this food after the cooks prepare it. Chapter twenty four finally declares Alexandra as champion, even though she was away for like 25,000 years and so much changed while she was changing. Chapter twenty five begins with the betrothal as all alliances are weddings or marriages.
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In this time, the marriage gauntlet is a thing and you run through it when you get married. If you don't make it, you don't get married. Once through it, the marriage alliance happens with the marriage of two tribes becoming one. Chapter twenty six begins the mind trap, a Fenshian trick. Michael Cronin, the necromancer, is still alive after 25,000 years or not as he is just a Lich. The creature that is Michael Cronin is sent into another existence when Alexandra crushes his heart. The war goes on and the Fenshian are destroyed, but in the end Alexandra is hit with a strange black dart and disappears. Chapter twenty seven begins with Nobeard leaving a note for the one to come, which is several thousand years after the disappearance of Alexandra. A small group of bandits with iron gauntlets on their armour and bad trolls are in this time, left over of the enemies before. Tribes and a troll / tribe hybrid from an old alliance exist in this time. They are all descendants of those that fought the Fenshian and the undead so long ago. The Iron Fist are descendants of the emperor's men. Chapter twenty eight is the meeting after the Iron Fist men attacked the village. Allies will be gathered just like what happened more than seven thousand years ago. This is still the planet Sortenla. Dractopus are explained here and Dragon Rats. Of course.
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After rest, all go to different areas to gather and form a new city. Chapter twenty nine troll history is explained and the other races on Sortenla as many left for somewhere else. In chapter thirty the great hunt begins like it did more than seven thousand years ago, chapter thirty one is the feast and marriage proposals, chapter thirty two is the journey to the new city. Chapter thirty three is where everyone agreed to meet. As they all travel towards the agreed upon place, Kalima comes down in a great ball of fire. Chapter thirty four they see a black castle in the distance and head towards it. 50,000 plus allies entered the castle and were just gone. On the planet Earth 2150 a Jacob Mathews is tossed a black sphere and disappears from that planet. Jacob ends up on another planet changed from what he was. Chapter thirty five Jacob get's married to the daughter of the Icorn people. The Icorn people begin to get wings again and the Icorn Fortress is moved into. Aqua goblins have to be fought that burn in the daylight. Chapter thirty six starts on the planet Primodia where Delaigda resides. She rides on a black horse through a wall of black and disappears from her world. The'd'r resides on the planet Geh where everyone that touches a black object goes. He is in search of the one.
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Delaigda becomes a gladiator of sorts on the planet Geh. Chapter thirty seven brings a few heroes together. The heroes are pursued. The underground and the syndicate are opposing factions. Chapter thirty eight the heroes think of the past. The syndicate is explained. The underground is explained. Chapter thirty nine is the vortex and what it means with regards to Alexandra. Thorinjian, on the planet Khangle, encounters a black sphere and it sends him to the planet Geh. He ends up saving the boss of the underground and makes a deal with her. Orc Carcass Tavern makes its first appearance as Thorinjian has visions induced by the singer. Alexandra awakes in a Lagoon not knowing who she is. Chapter forty we learn of the keeper of the Lagoon. Alexandra undergoes training, and also training within dreams. She get's sick from not knowing herself and ends up at the Ork Carcass Tavern. Chapter forty one the doctor arrives to treat Alexandra.
Book can be found here Harbinger

Foreword:

I've asked her to do this before with Guilty Gear characters and we all had a great time. So, I thought we'd do it again with HSR!
The process was simple: I showed her the character's splash art and 3D model, then asked for the character's name, rarity, and description. I wrote down her stream of consciousness as she dictated.
She has never played Star Rail and knows nothing about it. So, who better to explain the game?

Game Premise:

There's a train that needs to built in space. The first space train. A passion project. Needs to zip around space, like on a ring of Saturn. For bougie people. Maybe they'll make new tracks and connect em.
Space has a lot of problems, including monsters. They don't know what to expect. The people working on the tracks are like excellent fighters. They're almost like military slaves. That's the gist of the world. Something like that.

Saber (Arlan)

Rarity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

His name is Ian, but his friends call him Saber because he lies about his name. His dog's name is Chachi. He's an orphan. Terrible childhood accident, and since he had no one, he had to join the military. Found Chachi on a mission. He's his only family, now. He's just looking for a place to settle down, but the military is preventing that. He's a bit broken. In the middle of his story, yknow. He's not finished.

Stella (Asta)

Rarity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

She's smart, because she's in a lab coat, but she's stupid because she's in the military. She's a space navigator type person. Helps on the project of the train tracks. Sails the seas of the stars. She's good at nothing else, she just likes stars. Just really lacking everywhere else.
The type who would wake up without underwear and wouldn't know why. She's messy and lacking. She has no one at home. Maybe like, supportive parents, but that's it. Good relationship with them, but theyre galaxies away. Keeps to herself.
Trash waifu. If you like her, you're a basic bitch. 5 stars because shes basic bitch waifu bait. If I could give her 6, I would.

Alfengunshia (Bailu)

Rarity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

A native of one of the planets. Uh, planet like Earth, but it's not. It's 95% water. Her name is hard to pronounce, so people just call her Alf. Normal name is too long. She has no trauma, she's too young for that. Nothing has happened to her planet, yet (spoilers). Look out for that in the next patch, or maybe the next season or something. Something will happen to the planet Ulxia.
Lots of "ia's" on this planet (because the creators are uncreative). "ia" is to give homage to the planet, "Children of Ulxia", basically. A little tribal, a little cute, pure. Nothing wrong here. Pretty basic. Probably greets the main character and says "here have some fish", just being nice to the scary policeman because he's trying to ruin the planet with train tracks.
She's going to teach the younger generation about pollution and stuff. She'll get sick and it'll be the climax in a much later season. We'll be upset by her near death symptoms. Also, looks like her gills haven't come in, yet. The pollution is to blame.

Alixandre (Blade)

Rarity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is going to be a bitch. He's one of the people opposed to the train tracks. They can't build through his property. He wants to be left alone. He's brooding, mourning, pushing people away, and doesn't want anyone building rails by his house.
It's been 5 yeas since he lost his wife. This is the most alive he's been ever since. He's an opposing force.

General Chief Deputy Yasmin (Bronya)

Rarity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

She's trained, very skilled. A lil scary and abrasive. Actually soft on the inside and loves cute things like bunnies and cats and birds. No one sees that side of her because she's diligent and does her job. She owns a few fish.
I like her boots. IDK if they're one piece or two, and I like my women confusing.

Amelia (Clara)

Rarity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The story isn't so much about her, as much as it is about the dude next to her. She's 3 years old, lost in the farmer's market, her mom left her there. She's lookin for her mom, crying, doesn't know what to do. Doesn't realize she's been abandoned. Farmers are mad at her for crying and hanging around for 3 days. They're about to kick her out, but THIS homie boy, this fucker right here (whose name is Creed), this G, comes in and stops these people.
He steps in and takes over the situation. He's like woah they said she's been here 3 days. He takes her to McDonalds, Mickey D's, you know. They're at Mickey D's and asks "where's your mom, kid?" She's like, "Googoo gaga, I don't know." It has a lot of typos and garbos because she's a baby and can't type.
"Damn, she can't speak and she's 3 years old." He takes her in and cares for his mentally disabled child. It's sad because it's like Forrest Gump. I can't describe it. She's disabled in the like, clinical sense. He's teaching her about the world, she's just trying to experience life. He's doing a good job being a papa.
Amelia is 100% fixated on the train. She wants to learn about it, she always tries to sneak to the station, causing trouble. Creed keeps getting called and he's at his wits end. But he's patient. IDK how he does it.
Not important to the main story. The interesting thing about this game is that it's about the people. You get a glimpse into the lives of the planet natives. We don't care about how space trains work.

Erik/Eden (Dan Heng)

Rarity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Oh my god. He's fucking breathtaking.
(Side note about the game lore). Interesting thing you may not have noticed, is that that there's an abundance of gold on this planet. They don't really have silver on this planet, so you'll see an abundance of gold on these characters. They just keep finding more gold.
He doesn't exist in this game. He actually exists in reality and we are now married. Goodbye, Andre.
Im sorry, just, what a pretty design. Sigh, I'm rejecting him for you. Just to show you I love you. This is a power move, remember how good you have it.
He's young, single, but a family man. He's the oldest sibling, taking care of the younger ones. Has a single mom. He's trying to take care of her. The problem is, some of the natives aren't on board with the train idea. He's from one of the towns that opposes the train.
Spoilers, in case you haven't gotten this far: Later, he learns they mean him no harm. Same with the whole town. He's a trained fighter who wants to protect his home. He gets off on the wrong foot with the train workers. He fights a bear with them and they clear up their misunderstanding. They start to see eachother as people and stop trying to kill each other. We're all just humans / whatever-the-fuck-ulxia-is.
IDK if he has friends. He probably does, just not any best friends. He's so devoted to his family, he doesn't have the time to nurture a friendship. He makes mistakes, but he's a good boy.
He's like, because I like him, a 2* character. (Me: because you're not a basic bitch?) Yeah, he's low tier and I have good taste.

????? (Fu Xuan)

Rarity: -----

Interesting character because, as we know, gods don't exist. She's a complicated hidden cosmos goddess. I can't explain the celestial realm to you, but she's the embodiment of some celestial bodies.
She acts a little nosy. Acts like she's holier than though, but she meddles with peoples' affairs. She's a narrator and wants people to know she was involved. It's unfair, she shouldn't be meddling.
They never show her name. Just ????. Maybe we'll find out later in the game. They'll suddenly change the ??? to a name out of nowhere and it will be disappointing.
Not a playable character. More like a mascot. She's the narrator, and (easter egg) she shows up in every scene of the game and in every promo.

Doug (Gepard)

Rarity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Damn, everyone looks so god damn buff. Why can't there be scrawny ones who can't pick up a kitchen knife?
He's a little cringey. He's really loyal to a fault. He really really likes wolves/dogs/canines. He feels like theyre his spirit animal. He likes them because they're loyal. He has lots of pride, uhg. He does shit on his own.
Let me explain, he does shit on his own. Sometimes he makes mistakes. Like, he messes up but thinks his decisions are correct. He thinks he's on the side of law, on the side of truth. He has the declaration of independence on his side. He's very bland and stoic, and white (like morally speaking life is black/white.). He just says things that make you think, "what a dick". You hate seeing him, but you can't hate him because you know he's a good guy. But still you get upset.
In reality, he's a fan favorite; ranking at #2 on a weekly poll. I can't stand him, idk why people like him so much.

Nona (Herta)

Rarity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Beautifully tragic character. So, one look at this character and I know what you're thinking: "What a beautiful human girl?" And why? Why did you have to say "human girl?" Why couldn't you say "girl?" Well, that's because when you look at her, you notice, she's not a human. That's when it dawns on you: she's not a human.
I have to tell you, her name is Nona. Because she aint got no no na naay n- she's got no name okay. It's sad, who doesn't name her dolls?
This game doesn't always give you the answers. We're still in the middle of figuring her out. We know a little about her past, but we don't know her true past. We know she's been alive for 72 years and, in that time, she's had quite a love life.
This is one of those things you like to see in media, a tragic love story, and you wonder if they'll ever see each other again. You wonder if they'll be okay, and life will be as they wanted it.
So, her and Creed, were in a relationship years ago. I know; I gasped, too. She used to own an orphanage. Do you own orphanages or work at them? Wait, is it bad to own an orphanage? Do we want orphans or not? If you shut down orphanages, would there be less supply of orphans?
Anyway, that's when she met Creed. 10 years ago (8, rounding up). He was a prickly person, kind of a shithead, a thug. He tried to rob/murder the orphanage, but a fire happened and he was injured. She took him in and nurtured him and cared for him.
They fell in love and he stays with her. They get married and they have a life with their orphans.
It happens again. Years later, the orphanages burn down. He's in town when it happens, and when he comes back, it's gone. He runs into the orphanage and they're all dead. But none of this is in the game, to keep it PG.
He assumes she dies too but, the weird thing is, she had just left 5 minutes ago. She was just there thinking the orphans were dead, Creed was dead, it's all gone. So she leaves. And then Creed shows up and thinks she's dead.
They're both dumb. Creed's had a rough past. She eventually figures out she's the cause of the fire, and that Creed is still alive. We find out she's really valuable/important. Not to the game, but, to someone.
She's staying away from people to prevent hurting anyone else. Creed's been pushed away and he's travelling alone, mourning. Stumbles upon a child. I can't believe he's not important to the story. Maybe we can complain as fans and at least get a sprite for him into the game.
So yeah they're the OTP, and we're asking "what's up with nona?" Eventually they'll be together, and she'll raise Amelia like a daughter. It's nothing but up, for her.

Tristan (Himeko)

Rarity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

She's a higher up in the military. She's kind of interesting because they took her out of retirement to come back. She's hella OP, hella experienced. They had to really really bug her to come back. She has two whole planets to her name. She's integral to the train project. There's more to it than just the trains. They had to take this legendary machine, so something's going on. We're not sure why she's here.
Everyone loves her and looks up to her. I look up to her. But that's why im like, woah, why is she here? The fans are like, woah why is she here? She treats everyone equally. She should be the goddess that's narrrating, and not ?????.

Ulma (Hook)

Rarity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is a confusing character. Not very confusing, but she's a long way from home. She's one of the Ulxians, water beasts. Like, only half. She has a family that loves her. But there are always inter-species hate. She's in a human town with adopted human parents. She hides her ulxian-side. She's loved to high hell and I wish her the best.
Her real parents died. Her ulxian mom died in childbirth and her human father took her to a town, and later died. The humans that took her in were friends of her father. Her backstory will be sad and traumatizing to her when she gets older.
The fans will love it. I recommend this game, honestly. I'm having a lot of fun.

Reggie (Jing Yuan)

Rarity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

He kinda counteracts Doug. He's one of the train opposers. He's a bad guy from like a long time ago. All these people are like, a nation and they all go long back. An ancient galactic empire. They're from part of this place's military and were like generals. He and Doug butt heads. They don't really get along, but their personalities complement each other.
It's kinda joked about in the community, that they'd be best of friends. It's comedic that people ship them. But it's so obvious they would actually get along. They deny it in the game, but they actually give a shit about each other. They're like frenemies.
He's a little pompous, but you know his family line. You can can see what he can do. He's proved his worth, but it feels expected of his genetics.

Lorena (Kafka)

Rarity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This one's fun. This is Stella's older sister. She's pretty cool. She's high up and successful. She works in a private militia, well respected by the empire. Part of a secret sect of the empire, which spurs a lot of debate in the community.
Lorena is kind of cold. She's a lot more heartless, which makes you wonder what her parents did so wrong with her, and so right with Stella. She could probably kill some people, and probably has already. Everything she does is secret. I don't want to be in a room with her, ever. I don't want her to know my name. Goodness. Heebie Jeebies.

Lester (Luka)

Rarity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Again, the interesting thing about this game is that sometimes it's not about the plot. It's about the people. He's a grungy, underground, fighter. Hes strong, and kicks peoples' ass for judging him a certain way. He thinks its faster than having a conversation. He's just tired of people and will kick your ass. Fan favorite. Very based. The guys want to be with him, the girls want to be him.
He's not that important, but you're always happy whenever he makes an appearance. He's fun. I like him.

Horaldo (Luocha)

Rarity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Either people care for him, or they don't. But no one holds strong opinions on him. Weaker character, 4*. He's kinda like this other soldier. He's a bit broody. Does his job, but that's it. He's unfriendly, but polite. He's hasty. Just wants to get his job done, but it's hard to invite him to drinks.
Nobody really knows his story. But nobody really cares. The game messed up and made us not care, but you can tell they wanted him to be important.

May (March 7th)

Rarity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

She's actually a friend to the main character. You start off with her. The best friend. You start in a flash back with her, going to the academy. They teach you the controls, there. Then it goes back to the present day. Silly timeskip. You can find memories across the game.
She's been with the MC a long time. They're still in the academy, kinda in the train station area for some kind of program.
IDK if we'll find the MC in this character lineup. But she's the best friend, pushes the kinda lazy MC to go do things like, get crepes, or a sundae on Sunday. No one can really complain about her.
She's a basic bitch waifu pick.

Mason (Natasha)

Rarity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Interestingly, she's in town, the local botanist. Kind of the town doctor. This town don't have much people comin and going. It's like the boonies. She used to work for the militia. She's retired, taking care of her people. She knows about the train stuff; she denied their request for her to rejoin and help. She's happy where she is.
The game is young. People don't know why she's a 5*.

Kunilla (Pela)

Rarity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Another student of the academy. Idolizes Stella. She met her and now she thinks of her as a mentor. She self appoints her self as Stella's apprentice. She annoyingly brings up Stella in every conversation. Her obsession prevents people from wanting to get to know her. She's kind of a mean person, who only cares about Stella. She's even considering changing her name. A bit insane.
Garbage pick.

Annie (Qingque)

Rarity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

She's slightly abrasive. Not as bad as Doug. She will apologize and is pretty nice. Owns up to her mistakes but is still a bit abrasive. A childhood friend of Eden. Like were friends as a kid, not much now. She knows his deal and is fine with it. She doesn't bug him. She lets people be themselves. Some people wish Eden was better friends with them, but she accepts it. They're a good pair. She's growing. She's trying, but awkward. I like her.

Dio (Sampo)

Rarity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

How to start talking about him... This is Creed's younger, mental, brother. They don't really know each other. Dio is 10 years younger. They're related, but by the time they were to leave the house, Creed had already turned to robbing/pillaging. Like a stupid, innocent type of evil.
But Dio got some pretty bad abuse while Creed was gone. He's like an assassin, and is kinda scary. He goes toe-to-toe with Lorena on scariness. They've worked together but it's hard to tell what kind of relationship they have. Do they get along or do they hate each other? A fun character but has tons of red flags. You wanna look at him, but you don't wanna get to know him. He doesn't care about anything anymore, so is just having fun with life. It got dark and he kills people. Doesn't care what side he's on. Just does the fun thing. Taking whatever job.

Ursula (Seele)

Rarity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

We're back at the academy. This is actually another childhood friend. The MC fell out of friendship with her at some point. She's an antagonist of sorts. She cares about what you have to say, but she's also a bully. She secretly tries to push you to be better, and she is a sort of nemesis. We don't really know her deal.

Tesla (Serval)

Rarity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

One of Lester's groupies. She REALLY cool, okay? She knows she's cool and likes Lester. Who doesn't? She goes for what she wants, and she wants Lester. She acts like they're together and tells people to back off him. She's strong willed. 4 years older than Lester. You sorta give her a pass for the shit she does because of her confidence. An accomplished musician. She plays every part of her band. She's a musical genius. She is admired. She's really cool. People will gladly be stepped on by her.

June (Silver Wolf)

Rarity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Twitch gamer, obviously. In the same district as Lester and Tesla. She frequents the arcade. Goes once a week to maintain her high scores. Goes monthly now because she's untouchable. She realizes she can make money doing basically anything. She starts vlogging and carries a camera everywhere with her.
People send her superchats and she just ignores them, but they still love it. She's got a huge fanbase but does nothing to deserve it besides being good at games. Doesn't interact with her fans in the slightest.
She was a 5, but got nerfed, and is now a 4.

Rachel (Sushang)

Rarity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

One of Nona's old coworkers, back when they both worked at the orphanage. She was volunteering then moved to the big city for college. She's on her own adventure. She's new to the story, so we don't know much yet.

Julia (Tingyun)

Rarity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

She's almost like a princess, for her tribe. The animal folk, they have their own dynasty. She's just a princess, idk. You don't see her much, but theyre there, you have to hear about them. But you don't know much. Boring.

Marcus (Welt)

Rarity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Works in a detective agency. The agency's gimmick is that it's actually 3 detectives, disguised as one. 1 looks up the means, 1 looks up the motive, and 1 looks up whatever the third one is. They're not very quick outside their job. The 4th sort of acts like the assistant, but actually pieces together the information gathered by the other 3. That's his job. He's figured out how to use them to solve cases.

Cris (Yanqing)

Rarity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

A Mulan story. A rich kid who entered training under false pretenses. She really wants to learn under a specific person who teaches at an all boys school. She's faking being a boy to get in. Keeps some guards around, cuz she's rich, but doesn't let them bother her at school. No one knows she's not a boy. Her dad is overprotective of her. She's a fun character. Crosses those boundaries. Real name is Crissie, goes by Cris at the school.

Monica (Yukong)

Rarity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

One of the generals for the empire. She both works for the empire and is Julia's lead general. She was part of a personal militia for a country, but was given a pass by Julia to join the empire's military. She goes on missions and brings back souveniers. She's really nice and cares about who she's protecting. Knows all the kids in town. Knows a lot of locals. Outstanding member of her society.

Zephyr (Female Trailblazer)

Rarity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is the main project leader for the trains. She's taking care of the whole god damn thing. She's going to drive it. Her personal philosophy is that she won't drive any train she didn't help build. She fuckin loves trains. Dont come at her unless you love choo-choos.
She's smart, she's an engineer, great driving skills. Of course she was asked to be the first space train driver. It's great. Kudos to her. She's earned her place.
She has a train bed. And train sheets. Actually two train beds, because it needs a caboose. Has a little too many train books.

Foreword:

I've asked her to do this before with Guilty Gear characters and we all had a great time. So, I thought we'd do it again with HSR!
The process was simple: I showed her the character's splash art and 3D model, then asked for the character's name, rarity, and description. I wrote down her stream of consciousness as she dictated.
She has never played Star Rail and knows nothing about it. So, who better to explain the game?

Game Premise:

There's a train that needs to built in space. The first space train. A passion project. Needs to zip around space, like on a ring of Saturn. For bougie people. Maybe they'll make new tracks and connect em.
Space has a lot of problems, including monsters. They don't know what to expect. The people working on the tracks are like excellent fighters. They're almost like military slaves. That's the gist of the world. Something like that.

Saber (Arlan)

Rarity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

His name is Ian, but his friends call him Saber because he lies about his name. His dog's name is Chachi. He's an orphan. Terrible childhood accident, and since he had no one, he had to join the military. Found Chachi on a mission. He's his only family, now. He's just looking for a place to settle down, but the military is preventing that. He's a bit broken. In the middle of his story, yknow. He's not finished.

Stella (Asta)

Rarity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

She's smart, because she's in a lab coat, but she's stupid because she's in the military. She's a space navigator type person. Helps on the project of the train tracks. Sails the seas of the stars. She's good at nothing else, she just likes stars. Just really lacking everywhere else.
The type who would wake up without underwear and wouldn't know why. She's messy and lacking. She has no one at home. Maybe like, supportive parents, but that's it. Good relationship with them, but theyre galaxies away. Keeps to herself.
Trash waifu. If you like her, you're a basic bitch. 5 stars because shes basic bitch waifu bait. If I could give her 6, I would.

Alfengunshia (Bailu)

Rarity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

A native of one of the planets. Uh, planet like Earth, but it's not. It's 95% water. Her name is hard to pronounce, so people just call her Alf. Normal name is too long. She has no trauma, she's too young for that. Nothing has happened to her planet, yet (spoilers). Look out for that in the next patch, or maybe the next season or something. Something will happen to the planet Ulxia.
Lots of "ia's" on this planet (because the creators are uncreative). "ia" is to give homage to the planet, "Children of Ulxia", basically. A little tribal, a little cute, pure. Nothing wrong here. Pretty basic. Probably greets the main character and says "here have some fish", just being nice to the scary policeman because he's trying to ruin the planet with train tracks.
She's going to teach the younger generation about pollution and stuff. She'll get sick and it'll be the climax in a much later season. We'll be upset by her near death symptoms. Also, looks like her gills haven't come in, yet. The pollution is to blame.

Alixandre (Blade)

Rarity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is going to be a bitch. He's one of the people opposed to the train tracks. They can't build through his property. He wants to be left alone. He's brooding, mourning, pushing people away, and doesn't want anyone building rails by his house.
It's been 5 yeas since he lost his wife. This is the most alive he's been ever since. He's an opposing force.

General Chief Deputy Yasmin (Bronya)

Rarity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

She's trained, very skilled. A lil scary and abrasive. Actually soft on the inside and loves cute things like bunnies and cats and birds. No one sees that side of her because she's diligent and does her job. She owns a few fish.
I like her boots. IDK if they're one piece or two, and I like my women confusing.

Amelia (Clara)

Rarity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The story isn't so much about her, as much as it is about the dude next to her. She's 3 years old, lost in the farmer's market, her mom left her there. She's lookin for her mom, crying, doesn't know what to do. Doesn't realize she's been abandoned. Farmers are mad at her for crying and hanging around for 3 days. They're about to kick her out, but THIS homie boy, this fucker right here (whose name is Creed), this G, comes in and stops these people.
He steps in and takes over the situation. He's like woah they said she's been here 3 days. He takes her to McDonalds, Mickey D's, you know. They're at Mickey D's and asks "where's your mom, kid?" She's like, "Googoo gaga, I don't know." It has a lot of typos and garbos because she's a baby and can't type.
"Damn, she can't speak and she's 3 years old." He takes her in and cares for his mentally disabled child. It's sad because it's like Forrest Gump. I can't describe it. She's disabled in the like, clinical sense. He's teaching her about the world, she's just trying to experience life. He's doing a good job being a papa.
Amelia is 100% fixated on the train. She wants to learn about it, she always tries to sneak to the station, causing trouble. Creed keeps getting called and he's at his wits end. But he's patient. IDK how he does it.
Not important to the main story. The interesting thing about this game is that it's about the people. You get a glimpse into the lives of the planet natives. We don't care about how space trains work.

Erik/Eden (Dan Heng)

Rarity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Oh my god. He's fucking breathtaking.
(Side note about the game lore). Interesting thing you may not have noticed, is that that there's an abundance of gold on this planet. They don't really have silver on this planet, so you'll see an abundance of gold on these characters. They just keep finding more gold.
He doesn't exist in this game. He actually exists in reality and we are now married. Goodbye, Andre.
Im sorry, just, what a pretty design. Sigh, I'm rejecting him for you. Just to show you I love you. This is a power move, remember how good you have it.
He's young, single, but a family man. He's the oldest sibling, taking care of the younger ones. Has a single mom. He's trying to take care of her. The problem is, some of the natives aren't on board with the train idea. He's from one of the towns that opposes the train.
Spoilers, in case you haven't gotten this far: Later, he learns they mean him no harm. Same with the whole town. He's a trained fighter who wants to protect his home. He gets off on the wrong foot with the train workers. He fights a bear with them and they clear up their misunderstanding. They start to see eachother as people and stop trying to kill each other. We're all just humans / whatever-the-fuck-ulxia-is.
IDK if he has friends. He probably does, just not any best friends. He's so devoted to his family, he doesn't have the time to nurture a friendship. He makes mistakes, but he's a good boy.
He's like, because I like him, a 2* character. (Me: because you're not a basic bitch?) Yeah, he's low tier and I have good taste.

????? (Fu Xuan)

Rarity: -----

Interesting character because, as we know, gods don't exist. She's a complicated hidden cosmos goddess. I can't explain the celestial realm to you, but she's the embodiment of some celestial bodies.
She acts a little nosy. Acts like she's holier than though, but she meddles with peoples' affairs. She's a narrator and wants people to know she was involved. It's unfair, she shouldn't be meddling.
They never show her name. Just ????. Maybe we'll find out later in the game. They'll suddenly change the ??? to a name out of nowhere and it will be disappointing.
Not a playable character. More like a mascot. She's the narrator, and (easter egg) she shows up in every scene of the game and in every promo.

Doug (Gepard)

Rarity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Damn, everyone looks so god damn buff. Why can't there be scrawny ones who can't pick up a kitchen knife?
He's a little cringey. He's really loyal to a fault. He really really likes wolves/dogs/canines. He feels like theyre his spirit animal. He likes them because they're loyal. He has lots of pride, uhg. He does shit on his own.
Let me explain, he does shit on his own. Sometimes he makes mistakes. Like, he messes up but thinks his decisions are correct. He thinks he's on the side of law, on the side of truth. He has the declaration of independence on his side. He's very bland and stoic, and white (like morally speaking life is black/white.). He just says things that make you think, "what a dick". You hate seeing him, but you can't hate him because you know he's a good guy. But still you get upset.
In reality, he's a fan favorite; ranking at #2 on a weekly poll. I can't stand him, idk why people like him so much.

Nona (Herta)

Rarity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Beautifully tragic character. So, one look at this character and I know what you're thinking: "What a beautiful human girl?" And why? Why did you have to say "human girl?" Why couldn't you say "girl?" Well, that's because when you look at her, you notice, she's not a human. That's when it dawns on you: she's not a human.
I have to tell you, her name is Nona. Because she aint got no no na naay n- she's got no name okay. It's sad, who doesn't name her dolls?
This game doesn't always give you the answers. We're still in the middle of figuring her out. We know a little about her past, but we don't know her true past. We know she's been alive for 72 years and, in that time, she's had quite a love life.
This is one of those things you like to see in media, a tragic love story, and you wonder if they'll ever see each other again. You wonder if they'll be okay, and life will be as they wanted it.
So, her and Creed, were in a relationship years ago. I know; I gasped, too. She used to own an orphanage. Do you own orphanages or work at them? Wait, is it bad to own an orphanage? Do we want orphans or not? If you shut down orphanages, would there be less supply of orphans?
Anyway, that's when she met Creed. 10 years ago (8, rounding up). He was a prickly person, kind of a shithead, a thug. He tried to rob/murder the orphanage, but a fire happened and he was injured. She took him in and nurtured him and cared for him.
They fell in love and he stays with her. They get married and they have a life with their orphans.
It happens again. Years later, the orphanages burn down. He's in town when it happens, and when he comes back, it's gone. He runs into the orphanage and they're all dead. But none of this is in the game, to keep it PG.
He assumes she dies too but, the weird thing is, she had just left 5 minutes ago. She was just there thinking the orphans were dead, Creed was dead, it's all gone. So she leaves. And then Creed shows up and thinks she's dead.
They're both dumb. Creed's had a rough past. She eventually figures out she's the cause of the fire, and that Creed is still alive. We find out she's really valuable/important. Not to the game, but, to someone.
She's staying away from people to prevent hurting anyone else. Creed's been pushed away and he's travelling alone, mourning. Stumbles upon a child. I can't believe he's not important to the story. Maybe we can complain as fans and at least get a sprite for him into the game.
So yeah they're the OTP, and we're asking "what's up with nona?" Eventually they'll be together, and she'll raise Amelia like a daughter. It's nothing but up, for her.

Tristan (Himeko)

Rarity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

She's a higher up in the military. She's kind of interesting because they took her out of retirement to come back. She's hella OP, hella experienced. They had to really really bug her to come back. She has two whole planets to her name. She's integral to the train project. There's more to it than just the trains. They had to take this legendary machine, so something's going on. We're not sure why she's here.
Everyone loves her and looks up to her. I look up to her. But that's why im like, woah, why is she here? The fans are like, woah why is she here? She treats everyone equally. She should be the goddess that's narrrating, and not ?????.

Ulma (Hook)

Rarity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is a confusing character. Not very confusing, but she's a long way from home. She's one of the Ulxians, water beasts. Like, only half. She has a family that loves her. But there are always inter-species hate. She's in a human town with adopted human parents. She hides her ulxian-side. She's loved to high hell and I wish her the best.
Her real parents died. Her ulxian mom died in childbirth and her human father took her to a town, and later died. The humans that took her in were friends of her father. Her backstory will be sad and traumatizing to her when she gets older.
The fans will love it. I recommend this game, honestly. I'm having a lot of fun.

Reggie (Jing Yuan)

Rarity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

He kinda counteracts Doug. He's one of the train opposers. He's a bad guy from like a long time ago. All these people are like, a nation and they all go long back. An ancient galactic empire. They're from part of this place's military and were like generals. He and Doug butt heads. They don't really get along, but their personalities complement each other.
It's kinda joked about in the community, that they'd be best of friends. It's comedic that people ship them. But it's so obvious they would actually get along. They deny it in the game, but they actually give a shit about each other. They're like frenemies.
He's a little pompous, but you know his family line. You can can see what he can do. He's proved his worth, but it feels expected of his genetics.

Lorena (Kafka)

Rarity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This one's fun. This is Stella's older sister. She's pretty cool. She's high up and successful. She works in a private militia, well respected by the empire. Part of a secret sect of the empire, which spurs a lot of debate in the community.
Lorena is kind of cold. She's a lot more heartless, which makes you wonder what her parents did so wrong with her, and so right with Stella. She could probably kill some people, and probably has already. Everything she does is secret. I don't want to be in a room with her, ever. I don't want her to know my name. Goodness. Heebie Jeebies.

Lester (Luka)

Rarity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Again, the interesting thing about this game is that sometimes it's not about the plot. It's about the people. He's a grungy, underground, fighter. Hes strong, and kicks peoples' ass for judging him a certain way. He thinks its faster than having a conversation. He's just tired of people and will kick your ass. Fan favorite. Very based. The guys want to be with him, the girls want to be him.
He's not that important, but you're always happy whenever he makes an appearance. He's fun. I like him.

Horaldo (Luocha)

Rarity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Either people care for him, or they don't. But no one holds strong opinions on him. Weaker character, 4*. He's kinda like this other soldier. He's a bit broody. Does his job, but that's it. He's unfriendly, but polite. He's hasty. Just wants to get his job done, but it's hard to invite him to drinks.
Nobody really knows his story. But nobody really cares. The game messed up and made us not care, but you can tell they wanted him to be important.

May (March 7th)

Rarity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

She's actually a friend to the main character. You start off with her. The best friend. You start in a flash back with her, going to the academy. They teach you the controls, there. Then it goes back to the present day. Silly timeskip. You can find memories across the game.
She's been with the MC a long time. They're still in the academy, kinda in the train station area for some kind of program.
IDK if we'll find the MC in this character lineup. But she's the best friend, pushes the kinda lazy MC to go do things like, get crepes, or a sundae on Sunday. No one can really complain about her.
She's a basic bitch waifu pick.

Mason (Natasha)

Rarity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Interestingly, she's in town, the local botanist. Kind of the town doctor. This town don't have much people comin and going. It's like the boonies. She used to work for the militia. She's retired, taking care of her people. She knows about the train stuff; she denied their request for her to rejoin and help. She's happy where she is.
The game is young. People don't know why she's a 5*.

Kunilla (Pela)

Rarity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Another student of the academy. Idolizes Stella. She met her and now she thinks of her as a mentor. She self appoints her self as Stella's apprentice. She annoyingly brings up Stella in every conversation. Her obsession prevents people from wanting to get to know her. She's kind of a mean person, who only cares about Stella. She's even considering changing her name. A bit insane.
Garbage pick.

Annie (Qingque)

Rarity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

She's slightly abrasive. Not as bad as Doug. She will apologize and is pretty nice. Owns up to her mistakes but is still a bit abrasive. A childhood friend of Eden. Like were friends as a kid, not much now. She knows his deal and is fine with it. She doesn't bug him. She lets people be themselves. Some people wish Eden was better friends with them, but she accepts it. They're a good pair. She's growing. She's trying, but awkward. I like her.

Dio (Sampo)

Rarity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

How to start talking about him... This is Creed's younger, mental, brother. They don't really know each other. Dio is 10 years younger. They're related, but by the time they were to leave the house, Creed had already turned to robbing/pillaging. Like a stupid, innocent type of evil.
But Dio got some pretty bad abuse while Creed was gone. He's like an assassin, and is kinda scary. He goes toe-to-toe with Lorena on scariness. They've worked together but it's hard to tell what kind of relationship they have. Do they get along or do they hate each other? A fun character but has tons of red flags. You wanna look at him, but you don't wanna get to know him. He doesn't care about anything anymore, so is just having fun with life. It got dark and he kills people. Doesn't care what side he's on. Just does the fun thing. Taking whatever job.

Ursula (Seele)

Rarity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

We're back at the academy. This is actually another childhood friend. The MC fell out of friendship with her at some point. She's an antagonist of sorts. She cares about what you have to say, but she's also a bully. She secretly tries to push you to be better, and she is a sort of nemesis. We don't really know her deal.

Tesla (Serval)

Rarity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

One of Lester's groupies. She REALLY cool, okay? She knows she's cool and likes Lester. Who doesn't? She goes for what she wants, and she wants Lester. She acts like they're together and tells people to back off him. She's strong willed. 4 years older than Lester. You sorta give her a pass for the shit she does because of her confidence. An accomplished musician. She plays every part of her band. She's a musical genius. She is admired. She's really cool. People will gladly be stepped on by her.

June (Silver Wolf)

Rarity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Twitch gamer, obviously. In the same district as Lester and Tesla. She frequents the arcade. Goes once a week to maintain her high scores. Goes monthly now because she's untouchable. She realizes she can make money doing basically anything. She starts vlogging and carries a camera everywhere with her.
People send her superchats and she just ignores them, but they still love it. She's got a huge fanbase but does nothing to deserve it besides being good at games. Doesn't interact with her fans in the slightest.
She was a 5, but got nerfed, and is now a 4.

Rachel (Sushang)

Rarity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

One of Nona's old coworkers, back when they both worked at the orphanage. She was volunteering then moved to the big city for college. She's on her own adventure. She's new to the story, so we don't know much yet.

Julia (Tingyun)

Rarity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

She's almost like a princess, for her tribe. The animal folk, they have their own dynasty. She's just a princess, idk. You don't see her much, but theyre there, you have to hear about them. But you don't know much. Boring.

Marcus (Welt)

Rarity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Works in a detective agency. The agency's gimmick is that it's actually 3 detectives, disguised as one. 1 looks up the means, 1 looks up the motive, and 1 looks up whatever the third one is. They're not very quick outside their job. The 4th sort of acts like the assistant, but actually pieces together the information gathered by the other 3. That's his job. He's figured out how to use them to solve cases.

Cris (Yanqing)

Rarity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

A Mulan story. A rich kid who entered training under false pretenses. She really wants to learn under a specific person who teaches at an all boys school. She's faking being a boy to get in. Keeps some guards around, cuz she's rich, but doesn't let them bother her at school. No one knows she's not a boy. Her dad is overprotective of her. She's a fun character. Crosses those boundaries. Real name is Crissie, goes by Cris at the school.

Monica (Yukong)

Rarity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

One of the generals for the empire. She both works for the empire and is Julia's lead general. She was part of a personal militia for a country, but was given a pass by Julia to join the empire's military. She goes on missions and brings back souveniers. She's really nice and cares about who she's protecting. Knows all the kids in town. Knows a lot of locals. Outstanding member of her society.

Zephyr (Female Trailblazer)

Rarity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is the main project leader for the trains. She's taking care of the whole god damn thing. She's going to drive it. Her personal philosophy is that she won't drive any train she didn't help build. She fuckin loves trains. Dont come at her unless you love choo-choos.
She's smart, she's an engineer, great driving skills. Of course she was asked to be the first space train driver. It's great. Kudos to her. She's earned her place.
She has a train bed. And train sheets. Actually two train beds, because it needs a caboose. Has a little too many train books.

It was early morning beneath the twin suns of Tattooine. The desert stretched for miles across the planet, nothing but rock, sand, and dust to greet travelers. The desert had made a corpse of many wanderers and only the very foolish or the very hardy would survive in this blighted place. It was said if there was a bright star at the center of the universe, Tattooine was farthest from it and those who dwelled on this harsh world often agree with that sentiment.
A spacecraft, resembling a ironclad boat, flew low over the shifting sands. Powered by VTOL engines, the spacecraft was a typical member of the Horde fleet. Ruled by Horde Prime, the Horde had fancied themselves universal conquerors and had long ago conquered the Galaxy, reducing the Old Republic to a memory. Horde Prime now ruled the galaxy as Emperor, with his right hand Hordak bringing terror wherever he commanded. Huge and possessing of brutal technology to subjecate the Galaxy at large, the Horde had went unchallenged until some years ago, when a plucky band of rebels had formed under the direction of Adora, better known as She-Ra, who wielded the Sword of Protection that allowed her to become the Princess of Power. Adora and her friends had been frustrating the machine of the Horde for some years now but recently, some trouble had arisen.
Adora's sword had been taken by a bounty hunter named Boba Fett and Adora herself had been overwhelmed by the hunter, who had frozen her in carbonite during a skirmish on Cloud City. Fett had spirited off with Adora and taken her to his master's palace, the loathsome gangster Jabba the Hutt. She had been missing for some weeks now and without She-Ra, the rebellion was doomed.
So, stealing a Horde transport to pass through Horde space undetected, Adora's fiesty girlfriend had begun a one woman rescue mission.
In the cockpit, a hologram of Scorpina stood on the central console, flickering with the bad reception. "Catra, this is madness," The loud and boisterous half-scorpion woman cried, clicking her claws. "At least wait for the rebellion to open negotiations with the Hutt. If I told you half the things I'd heard about Jabba, you'd-"
"Oh shut it Scorpy," Catra grunted. Catra was an eighteen year old girl. She was quite beautiful, with a long mane of wild brown hair, exotic mismatched eyes (one yellow, one blue), fangs, claw-like fingers, and pointed, cat-like ears. A tail swished behind her, betraying her annoyance at her companion's lecturing. "I'll be fine. I'm used to doing things on my own."
"Yes but-" Scorpina tried to protest and was silenced by Catra's glare.
"But nothing!" Catra snapped. "Look, you want to wait for the troops to talk and talk until they reach a conclusion months from now? Fine. Be my guest! But Adora needs me NOW and I'm not abandoning her. Who knows what that vile slug has done to her?" She guided the craft downwards to the location its on board computer had plotted for her. "Now either come and help me or get outta my way. Catra out!"
Catra cut the communication before Scorpina could voice anymore complaints or warnings or other crap. She grinned as she looked out the spacecraft's windows, fangs glinting in the harsh sunlight filtering into the cockpit. In the distance, she could see the shadowy outline of Jabba's Palace, looming in the rocky wastes.
"Alright Adora, I'm coming for you..."
***********************************************************************************
Catra wasn't stupid, some might say she was as crafty as a cat. She had many necessary arrangements before coming to Tattooine, which meant she had stolen a suit of bounty hunter armor belonging to a criminal in Jabba's employ, a thug known as Boushh. Slipping into the armor, Catra examined herself in the mirror as she put on her gloves and stuffed her tail into the tight leather pants of the outfit. She picked up the helmet and flashed another confident, fanged grin to the mirror:
"I'm coming for you, Adora."
Catra slipped her helmet on and used a speeder bike in the ship to make her way across miles of desert to Jabba's Palace. By the time she arrived it was mid morning and the suns were high in the sky. Fortunately, the suit had its own moisture filter and cooling system, allowing Catra to more or less shrug off the heat. Snatching a vibro pike to lean on, Catra approached the palace of the vile criminal. The main gate was shut, dust and sand blowing against the iron foundations.
Catra rapped one gloved fist on the doorway and a droid emerged from a portable slot on the side of the gate. The droid scanned her, chittering away to itself in Huttese. Catra waited patiently, her masked hiding any emotions. At last, the droid spoke in Basic and warbled, "Welcome back, Boushh." The iron gate then rumbled open, ancient gears turning as dust and sand were spat off the inner foundations. Catra gave the security gate droid a silent nod and went inside, the gate grinding closed behind her.
The inner palace was less a grand castle overflowing with art and jewels and more a cavernous dungeon. Catra's eyes scanned the environment in disgust and she was glad that she had the mask on, which had a rebreather to mask unpleasant smalls (as well as toxic gases and the like). The twisting, shadowy passages of the palace were drab and pair, looking like a network of underground tombs. Vermin scuttled in the shadows, along with other shapes. Putting on her best brave face, Catra nonetheless strode forward, booted heels clicking off the stone floor.
It wasn't long before she ran into a galley of Gamorrean guards. They snorted at her, their snouts lined with drool and clutching vibro axes threateningly. Catra prepared for an assault but the largest of their number examined her and concluded she must've looked or smell enough like Boushh, as he squealed at the others and they let her pass. Catra moved on silently, leaving the pig-like brutes behind and came to a dimly lit chamber, stone steps leading into it. Loud music was blaring within, an obnoxious number even the lowliest of cantinas would've refused to play.
Catra moved down the stone steps, a chained frog-dog at their base barking at her. She gave him a swift kick, the frog-dog yelping and scuttling away into the corner. Aliens of all species lurked in shadowy alcoves about the throne room, nursing cups of ale and drugs in their slimy hands. In the center of the throne room a batch of scantily clad, multicolored alien girls were prancing about, singing along to the beat of the music.
And there HE was. Catra shuddered as she spied the Hutt himself. Jabba lounged on his dais, the corpulent Hutt grotesque even by the standards of his vile race. The rotund slug was easily twice as large as a human, sporting a waterfall of blubbery chins and a huge, jiggling belly. His face was frog-like, with wide orange reptillian eyes. A rather phallic tail twitched and pulsated on one side of his dais, while grubby, fat arms slapped against his belly. He drooled as he watched his dancers strut their stuff, Catra making a face.
"I'd sure hate to be the girl that fucked that thing..." Catra thought as she looked about. Her eyes suddenly widened as she saw something at the other side of the room. There, in a corner on full display for the court, was Adora. Her girlfriend was frozen in carbonite still and worse yet, had been hung on the wall like some...some trophy! Her face was frozen in a scream, a few aliens admiring the grotesque piece of 'art'.
Catra clenched a fist. She had half a mind to draw her blaster and unleash Hell on this batch of freaks! However, that thought was cut short as she felt Jabba's eyes upon her. She quickly assumed her stoic position again as Jabba's gaze focused on her. The fat slug licked his scum-coated, frog-like lips and raised one blubbery arm. Instantly, all went quiet and Catra nervously realized she was now the center of attention.
"Ah, Boushh," Jabba boomed. He spoke in Basic, his words booming and interlaced with slimy noises. He shifted his huge bulk as he addressed the 'bounty hunter'. "You've returned. I presume then that the cartel on the Shattered Moon has been dealt with?"
Catra's heart skipped a beat. Shit! She hadn't bothered to research what Boushh had been up to, which was a rather stupid move on her part. Swallowing, she tried to play it cool and answered, her voice hidden beneath a voice-changer built into the helmet, "Yes, mighty Jabba. They will not trouble you again." Catra bit her lip, sure Jabba would be suspicious. But the Hutt merely nodded (or what passed for a nod) and waved a fat hand at her.
"Excellent. I'll have the credits transferred to your account in the morning. Welcome back, my dear friend...ho ho ho! You'll have to regale me with a more detailed account then as well. But for now...resume!"
The band instantly continued their wailing and the dancers resumed their prancing, wiggling Lekku and ass alike for the cheering crowd. Catra breathed a sigh of relief and immediately retreated to one of the alcoves, scooting to a corner and pretending to want privacy. No one bothered her, too enamored with the delicate beauties on the dance floor, Jabba most of all.
It appeared she would need to act fast then. This batch of repugnant freaks would need to sleep sometime and when they did, Catra would rescue her beloved.
"I'm coming for you." Catra thought to herself, peeking at the carbonite statue of Adora as she settled herself in to wait on the day. With any luck, she and Adora would escape by nightfall.

Returned last week from a 3 week trip in Japan, my first!
Did the very typical route of Tokyo-Osaka-Kyoto-Tokyo but did things a little different stayed in 7 hotels throughout my stay. Why? My wife and I are very much food and nightlife focus and love to get a feel of neighborhoods, this enabled us to do one inconvenient journey to then set up base for the next few nights, get a feel of neighborhoods and avoided expensive Taxi fares at night.
This trip report will focus mostly on the wanky food, coffee and drinking spots that I enjoyed - as well as some tourist highlights
 

Tokyo ^{May 10-18}

Shibuya

First couple of nights was a treat hotel stay as this was a delayed Honeymoon. We stayed in the Cerulean Tower in Shibuya on an executive floor and it was worth every cent. Mostly just chilled around the hotel adjusting with the jet lag and using the executive perks. Whilst we stayed here we drank at R261 CIGAR & ROCK and mostly the Executive lounge "free" cocktail hour.
 
Notable spots:
SG Low - great foreign friendly introduction to Izakaya culture.
L'Intemporel - Amazing French fusion tasting course with wine pairing, not cheap (honeymoon remember) but we wanted to try Japanese influenced French and it did not disappoint!
 

Shinjuku

Stayed at the Tokyu Stay East Side, spacious but basic and a little bit away from the madness but close enough to explore the nightlife in the area, also close to Shinokubo.
I know Golden Gai can be a questionable visit but my wife and I loved it, found some real niche bars that we enjoyed, hotel was in close proximity, loved Piss Alley too
Experienced my first basement of a shopping center and was blown away. I know that everyone recommends it but holy shit, the food options are endless. Great if you want to take some treats back to the hotel.
 
Notable spots:
Kodoji Small bar in Golden Gai that is also a photography gallery. Very much a locals only joint, owner eyes you up before you allowed to drink. The regulars were lovely.
Bay Window More laid back and spacious, the owner had extensive knowledge of Japanese whiskey, very much enjoyed!
All Seasons Coffee Fantastic Coffee in an independent shop
養老乃瀧 新宿西口店 Good Izakaya in Piss Alley. Not the typical small and crowded joint, eating upstairs near the window you can see the trains go by.
Uobei Shin-Okubo I know its Kaiten sushi but my wife and I were blown away with the quality. We are Sushi novices so we are likely rating this with inexperienced palates. If you want to dip your toe into Sushi/Sashimi I couldnt recommend it enough!
Hanbey's Izakaya Yes its a chain and the food is average at best but if you book in advance you might be lucky to get a private room. Cheap and cheerful with a great vintage decor
 

Azabu-Juban

Random one to move here but we found a great deal at the Oakwood Hotel & Apartments. Has an amazing view of Tokyo Tower! We also had a steak restuarnt booked, see below, and knew we were going to the Tsukiji Outer Market and Sumo tournament so it seemed like a good base of travel.
Lined up big day of Tsukiji Outer Market - Sumo Grand Tournamet - Asakusa.
Quick take, Tsukiji Outer Market can be missed if traveling to Kyoto or Osaka. I found the markets in Kyoto and Osaka to be less hectic and a little cheaper and just as enjoyable. Tsukiji is a massive magnet to all tourists across the city, I sure enjoyed it at the time but then when I went to Nishiki Market and Kuromon Ichiba Market I found them to be just as enjoyable but with less of a crowd.
Sumo Grand Tournament - If you ever have the opportunity I would 100% recommend to go. We go the nose bleeds and got in a little early to look around. If you want to see the more high profile fights go in a little later, around 2pm. Was pretty cool to see the Sumo walking from the station to the stadium.
Sensō-ji Temple in the evening was great, noone about and you get to take on the temple as the sun sets. Couldn't recommend going later enough, felt like we had it to ourselves and you have a lot of decent food options around Hoppy street.
Made a trip out to Nakameguro on a nice day and it was a lovely chilled vibe. Checked out the vintage shops there and then had a drink chilling by the river. A nice escape from the madness of Shibuya and Shinjuku, some really lovely independent shops, cafe and restaurants
 
Notable spots:
Juban Ukyo Stand Bar Stumbled across this and loved it. If you like your natural wines and are in the area this is a go to, even have orange wine which was hard to come by elsewhere.
Northcote Coffee Shop Small independant coffee shop that makes a decent cup, owner is very lovely and happy to have a chat - she lived in Melbourne previously.
Komiyama-nishiazabu Another splash out dinner, holy shit this was amazing. The Chef used to be a butcher so he buys by the cow and takes you on a tasting course of all the different cuts. One of the best meals I've had
Turret Coffee Tsukiji If you like your coffee strong, this is the one. Like an uppercut of caffeine. Loved it!
Popeye Conveniently located next to Ryogoku Kokugikan National Sumo Arena, if you are a craft beer drinker this is the OG spot in Tokyo. As with all craft beer its more on the expensive side, however, they offer a free place of food from selected drinks during their happy hour, helps soften the blow.
Akagaki Hoppy street wasn't doing it for us and my wife was curious of this place, we stuck our heads in and had a night we will never forget. Very much a local spot but welcoming to foreigners - if there is space. Once we mentioned were on honeymoon the Shochu didnt stop, also made a friend who booked us in at Imahan Honten, more on that later.
 
Quick take - Though its fun getting Ekiben from Tokyo station, in comparison to Konbini or bakery food its pretty poor. Opted for one to share and then grab something quality from a Konbini
Quick take ^again - if you are doing my same overall route there is no need for the JR pass. If you book ahead, a month in advance and the max, on the SmartEX site you can get discount tickets for standard and green cart. Also book an oversized baggage seat if possible, yes your suitcase might fit above or in front of you but if you book the Nozomi train - a non JR pass Shinkansen, you are likely to be one of the few foreigners in your carriage that are hauling baggage so likely no competition. These seats cost no more than the standard, they are just limited, also book the D and E seat for Mt Fuji views, were were lucky and saw it twice! Our tickets to Osaka were ¥12,370 each, little more on return as we only booked them a week in advance. In total it was ¥26,340 return each, cheaper than a 7 day pass and on faster trains.  

Osaka ^{May 18-23}

Namba

First stayed in an interesting container hotel called Distortion 9. Was really in the thick of it, just a short walk from the station.
Dotonbori is hectic, too hectic. I did enjoy the lights and restaurant displays but the sheer amount of people was overwhelming. Very much enjoyed the vibe of America-mura and Yotsubashi, lots of vintage shops and boutiques.
Shinsekai was great, highly recommend going a little later in the day to see at night. Come hungry as there are a lot of great Kushikatsu and Okonomiyaki spots about.
 
Notable spots:
SAKImoto COFFEE A great cup, can also buy and bring over baked goods from across the road.
Gokai Tachizushi Nambanankaidori Great quality Sushi/Sashimi for the price. Very much an Izakaya feel.
Umineko Great craft standing bar.
LiLo Coffee Roasters Really great cup of coffee
Luv Wine Namba A really lovely standing wine bar. The owners where very warm and welcoming. Great selection of wines and quality food.
EDENICO Coffee shop by day, bar by night. Enjoyed having a chilled afternoon here with a local we made friends with at the standing bar.
 

Kita

Moved to her to stay in a cheaper hotel as we were doing day trips for a couple of days. Osaka underground city is mental, when we first got out the station we thought we moved to a ghost town, little did I know there was an entire underground city below stretching for city blocks, makes for some confusing google map directions
Nakazakichō was a sleeper hit of Osaka, great to explore the vintage and art shops of the area and an exceptionally good coffee/cafe scene here. Wish I could have come back later to see what the buzz was like at night.
Nara Park was worth the visit but is overwhelming with crowds initially. Once you hike a little more into the hills it really opens up and you can appreciate the beauty of it more. Would have like to explore the city more but a hot day in the park really takes it out of you.
 
Notable spots:
お初天神 大衆レトロ酒場 オハツ商店 個室居酒屋 Great standard Izakaya we ate at. More flagging this for the area itself.
Not really known by tourists- I think we were the only white folk about. A gem of a spot home to a number of bars, restaurants and Izakaya
Monaca Coffee incredibly well curated coffee spot, surprised we got a seat as it seemed very popular once we got in. One of the best pour over coffees I've had.
 
Quick take If you are traveling from Osaka to Kyoto and are staying in the Gion area opt for the Keihan Main Line trains. Only costs ¥430 and drops you at Gion-Shijo/Ōebashi station. Dont be confused if you think you need a reservation, only the premium seats require that. Just take any seat you can find.
 

Kyoto ^{May 23-26}

Gion

Was really unsure whether to go to Hakone and stay in a traditional Ryokan or not but instead opted to rent a traditional Japanese home in Gion instead, much to the delight of my bank account - Hakone Onsen Ryokans are £££££. Loved our house, had the Tammi mats and a view of the local temple gardens.
Gion was beautiful but also consumed with tourists, however everyone seemed very respectful in comparison to other popular tourist magnets. Was fortunate to catch the last day of performances at Pontochô Kaburenjô. Drank like a local along the river on a nice day which was very lovely, the river is so clean!
Did two "touristy" things whilst staying here, Fushimi Inari Taisha shrine and Arashiyama. The Tori gate shrine we visited in the late afternoon. Was a little hectic at the beginning but the further we got to the summit the less crowded it became. Once we got down there was hardly anyone left. Couldn't recommend going later in the afternoon more, you get a great view of Kyoto as the sun starts to set. The hike to the top is a little more than expected, more that my wife was in heeled sandals. Shes a trooper though and scaled it with ease, I would just recommend flat shoes at the minimum.
Arashiyama was fantastic, we went on a really shitty weather day. Which was great as it only attracted the brave. We did the Sagano Scenic Rail which I can't recommend enough. Pretty spectacular getting out of that first tunnel. We had a massive down pour when going through some valleys, was wild and forever memorable especially all the thick clouds crawling through the valleys.
Bamboo forest was also empty due to the rain but we didnt stay long as how much bamboo can you see?
 
Notable spots:
RUTUBO This place was swarming with tourists unfortunatley, I guess it comes with the area, however I couldn't recommend this place enough. Specialising in smoked Izakaya dishes and drinks. Stayed here all evening and loved it.
Imozou Kyoto Kiyamachi Tried this on a whim and loved it, got a seat upstairs which was a modern traditional Japanese table and booth. Solid food and lots and lots of Sake and Shochu options.
Hello Dolly Great cocktail bar with records spinning. Lucky to get a spot as the bartenders are quick to turn people away
 

Tokyo ^{May 26-30}

Shibuya

Our final stint, Staying at Shibuya Stream as we hadn't utilised the area prior due to the fancy pants hotel and jet lag. This final stretch was to just relax a little but enjoy any spots we potentially missed. Checked out Harajuku again as we visited on our first day and holy hell, never go on a weekend hahaha. Escaped by going to Shimokitazawa which has a great vibe, stumbled upon the Neutral Case craft beer fest which was a score. I found this area better for vintage but still on the more expensive side in the smaller store. Worthy for a visit, would be interesting to see the nightlife here.
We made a friend in Osaka and his girlfriend was performing pole at THE27CLUB That was SUPER fun, a little expensive, but a great vibe.
 
Notable spots:
Ramen Nagi - Shibuya. Ichiran gets all the foreign hype but I actually enjoyed this more (can't go wrong with either tbf). The host was funny as she screamed orders to the kitchen.
BEATCAFE Great genuine dive bar. REALLY loved this place and wish I could have stayed longer but I was cooked.
WOKINI Another big favourite of the trip, great cocktails and tunes. I was pretty pickled prior to arriving, wish I got in earlier so I could have stayed all night.
PIZZA SLICE my second only western meal, was hanging out my ass because of above and sought the pizza gods for healing. Tasty slice, could have stuffed my face but said hangover was having other ideas. Great vibe in there and reasonable priced, well compared to London.
Imahan Honten A friend that we made in Akagaki the week prior married into this family run Sukiyaki restaurant. I'm so glad we did meet her because this was a great swan song. We were given a private room and got the sirloin set. Was unreal! On the expensive side but was an experience I would never forget.
NEW YORK BAR Got to get my Lost in Translation fix. Pretty exceptional views but also incredibly expensive. Still really enjoyed it but sneaky that tax and service is not included
CoCo Ichibanya After throwing down at New York Bar its only fair we balanced the scales. I was pleasantly surprised how good this was, I know everyone will throw shade or have better options but for a chain it was shockingly good.
Bellovisto We end our holiday with where we started, this time in the roof top bar of Cerulean tower. I 100% can recommend this over the New York Bar, of course you don't get the Lost in Translation clout however you get better views cheaper drinks and exceptional service. They had a live piano signer on too. Typically there was a cover charge but its free if you are staying in the hotel - something we only realised when we came back and weren't guests.....
 
Last Quick Take Go to the flea markets for cheap and unique souvenirs. My wife went to Odeo Antique Market and managed to find some bargain Kokeshi dolls and Kimonos. A little more unique than Don Quijote bits, which in the end I thought was a bit of a ripoff.
 
If you made it this far then congratulations. Feel free if you have any questions, I will be happy to share anything coffee, wine, vintage, clothing and craft beer related.
 
Lastly Craft Beer Can shops, found it hard to find can shops for takeaway but loved these two:
ISETAN CRAFT BEER BAR
クラフトビール酒屋 threefeet Tokyo 表参道原宿本店

TL,DR: party derails star wars campaign, get approached by ISB but then became the leaders of a swoop gang. Then we get to the absurd death of one them in a cave, while it was carrying half the party loot.
I'm the DM for a group of 3 players. We're playing modded version of SW5e that is more similar to 5e power-level wise, along with a new class and a couple of new rules, including the midichlorian count that gives an inspiration dice daily. The game is OSR like, so the leveling is steep, the encounters are deadly, they have total freedom, there are random tables and so on; they started from level 1 and they hit level 2 after around 4 sessions. We're about 6-7 sessions in and they're having a blast.
The game is set on Tatooine, almost contemporary to the events that can be seen in the Book of Boba Fett series. Introducing the Party: a female wookie that was an active rebel in years prior; a female chiss, former Imperial sub-officer who betrayed and saved the wookie, and a custom made bodyguard droid built during the Clone Wars, whose age has corrupted some its circuitry and now act as a womanizer.
The three meet to carry out a simple escort mission for a Bothan merchant, from Mos Eisley to Bestine. In their first interaction with the Bothan, she checks for their biometric signature as a standard practice (they know it is) and the wookie (who sports a very dignified 6 to INT) attacks her, saying that she doesn't want to be profiled. The situation escalates quickly: the bothan bodyguard, a trandoshan, has his rifle on the ready and he's aming to shoot the wookie. The chiss and the droid manage to de-escalate the situation, and we move on. At this point in time, I'm foreshadowing that all my prep will go to waste. They proceed toward Bestine on their speeder bikes, when under the Twin Suns a Desert Storm rapidly approach them and engulfs them. They are quick-witted and head for the only cover, the entrance of Slauce Canyon, where they can catch their breath and wait the storm. There, they have an encounter with an enemy party of tuskens: there, the wookie, who caressly went out of cover, got downed by focused fire. They're now understanding that this is deadly if they're not careful, and so they all work together and kill them. The storm dies down and so they manage to avoid further combat and arrive at Bestine.
They unload the cargo in the bothan's warehouse, and they get paid. Everyone except the wookie, as compensation for her aggression before. Bomber wookie at first laughs because she thinks this was a joke, but it is not. So she comes rushing back and blows the door to the warehouse, where she finds the bothan and the trandoshan having a "happy time" (which I purposefully have them do as in a subtle cue to the player to stop, to no avail). The others do not try to stop her (as the player will say to them later), as the wookie comes in blasting the door, they kill them both. But they are not fast enough to stop the bothan putting a 6k credits bounty on each of their heads by the Hutts.
This was session 1.
Later, they find that one of the personal belonging of one of the tuskens is a very old radio beacon that points to a place in Jundland Wastes. There, they come across a vergence in the Force, a small lake where the wookie and the chiss have a vision: their most important ones come forth and question their life choices (the ones in their background). This was peak roleplaying to me, both of the players were really invested in it. The character are a bit shocked after that, but compose themselves and explore the cave where the radio beacon is pointing to. There, they find the skeleton of a Jedi who died meditating and his/her lightsaber, a saberstaff, that ignites for a short bit and then turns of with a few pop sounds. But that place was the lair of a Wraid, they got ambushed and again fought for their life against the beast: it downed two of them, but in the end they manage to kill it.
They also find an old and abandoned ship in a difficult place to get to, cut through the main hold door and get inside. They find there a cubic holocron and a black stone stele with markings on it. The language can be interpreted by the droid, but fails to do as it's stuck in a deadlock loop.
They now go back to Bestine to buy some spare parts for the ship, while fending off some of the Sand Demons bikers, a local swoop gang: the droid takes one of the leather jackets and wears it. In Bestine, they hit the cantina, where the chiss is apporached after a while by an older human gentleman, that is none other than her former professor of espionage in the Imperial Accademy, an ISB. He forces her into a deal, to recover some data from the capitol building in Bestine, in exchange for the safety of her sister and father. They then got caught in a crossfire between the two underground factions that are trying to take over Bestine, the Hutts and the Exchange. They narrowly avoid death as the Hutts recognize the bounty and ambush them. The following day, they are going to a merchant to get supplies to find whatever intel is hidden in the capitol building, but get approached by a couple of the same gang members, who recognize that the droid is wearing one of their jacked. Poor rolls lead to a fight that kills the gang members and have the party get another 2 jackets. They now want to infiltrate the gang and use it against the Empire that is still present on Tatooine apparently.
They arrive at the hideout, that is located outside Bestine, at around 8 am: most of the gang is "not fast-thinking" at the moment, recovering from booze and the night before. They go into it and hand over the supplies the other 2 real gang member were supposed to buy at the merchant. They try to pass a members there, and roughly succeed, but then head outside to tinker with the gang swoop bikes, removing fuel from the bikes. They get spotted by a gang member, and try to persuade him, saying something like "The boss has sent us to do this". Too bad that I rolled on a random table and got 99, so they're saying this to the de facto boss of the gang. "So you're telling me that I've sent you to do this?" replied the leader, a Klatooinian. Chaos ensues and another combat starts. The Leader dies after 2 rounds, but then the gangs start coming out from the hideout.
Now, bomber wookie made another, bigger bomb this morning. After a Nat 1 attempt that exploded just outside the tent, waking up everyone else, she built this thing she called 'Lil Destroyer'. This thing was pretty powerful, dealing 4d8+1d4 in a 20ft radius. She blows up 6 gang members and the explosion shakes the whole place. The gang inside is scared shitless, so the seize the moment and fool them into thinking the Empire was attacking. The Empire has officially retreated from Tatooine, but some remnants may be still there. They run with them and assume control of them.
They need another place to stay and regroup while and fooling the gang, but stumble across a cave system that leads them into finding big Durindfire crystals (and also one for a lightsaber). Here, there is a mushy and slippery wall they have to descend, they fail and fall. They take a bit of damage, recover the crystals and come up. Of the cave system, they didn't check one (one had a bigger cave with the cristals, the other had a bit of water). I describe to them as this tunnel begins to tilt down pretty harsh after a bit, at around a 45 degree angle: they don't see the end. They are weighting their options, while the droid goes "I'll see you there!" and jumps in it, super mario bros slide style.
I was taken aback. WTF?? I was flustered: should I kill him? What do I do? If I go by the layout of the caves, the pc is dead.
In the end, I decided to kill the pc. I don't want to ruin the game and all, but a) it would have died and b) throwing yourself on a slide, while inside a cave system and you don't see its end, it's waaaay too much reckless. So I start describing how he starts picking up speed, and the slope starts getting more and more steep. He replies by yelling to the wookie and the chiss "I'm not there yet!". I keep describing as now he does not feel the slide anymore and is tumbling down in the void, untill ... splat. The party hears like a rock falling in the distance, as the droid take 10d6 fall damage, and is outright killed, as the character goes to negative full HP.
We all laughed soo hard at this for like 10 minutes. The player didn't want to believe it. One of them goes "His last words were "I'm not there yet!" hahahah".
But wait, there's more: he also had 4 big ass Durindfire crystals and 3k credits with him. So a big chunk of the party loot is now basically lost in that cave.
This campaign is all over the place, but we're all having mad fun.

For further information on behalf of MAG Silver Corp. Contact Michael J. Curlook, Vice President, Investor Relations and Communications Phone: (604) 630-1399 Toll Free: (866) 630-1399 Website: www.magsilver.com Email: [email protected] 

Photos upon request
 

amiibo	Condition
Zelda Loftwing	New In Box
Sanrio amiibo cards	Sealed Pack
Inkling Boy - Neon Green	Loose/Mint
Mario Cereal Box	Cereal Removed/Flattened
Isabelle Summer Outfit	Open Box
Cyrus/K.K./Reese	New In Box/Damaged box
Tom Nook	New In Box
Mabel	New In Box

 

Switch	Condition
Azure Striker Gunvolt Striker Pack	Sealed
Aggelos	Complete in Box
Bendy and the Ink Machine	Complete in Box
Cruel King and the Great Hero Storybook Edition	Complete in Box
Disgaea 1 Rosen Edition	Complete in Box
Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom Collector's Edition	Sealed
Metroid Dread Collector's Edition	Sealed, a few dings associated with shipping
Monster Hunter Stories 2 Collector's Edition	Sealed
The Mummy Demastered	Complete in Box
Pokemon Sword + Expansion	Cart only, Expansion pass is on cartridge
River City Girls	Sealed, Best Buy Variant
Shadowverse Champion's Battle	Loose
Shantae Collector's Edition	Sealed
Shantae Risky's Revenge Collector's Edition	Sealed
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Cowabunga Collection	Sealed
Unravel 2	Sealed
Yu-Gi-Oh Legacy of the Duelist: Link Evolution	Loose
Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap	Complete in Box

 

Wii	Condition
Batallion Wars 2	Game and Case
Castle of Shikigami III	Complete in Box
Okami	Game and Case

 

WiiU Games	Condition
Batman Arkham City Armored Edition	Sealed
Disney Infinity 2.0	Sealed
Mario Kart 8	Complete in Box
Nintendoland	Complete in Box
Star Fox Guard	Complete in Box

 

DS	Condition
Super Scribblenauts	Loose
Witch's Wish	Game and Case, missing manual

 

3DS	Condition
Kid Icarus Uprising (Japanese)	Game, Manual, and Case (No Big Box)

 

GBA	Condition
Boktai 2	Loose
Game & Watch Gallery 4	Loose, Torn Label
Lady Sia	Loose, EU import
Lady Sia	Loose. Label imperfections
Super Puzzle Fighter 2	Complete in Box
Super Mario Advance	No label

 

GB	Condition
Alleyway	Loose
Castlevania Legends	Loose, label wear
Kid Dracula	Loose

 

NES	Condition
Faria	Game and Box. Box has some wear
Kid Icarus	Game, Box, and Manual; Box shows wear; Protective case for box and manual included

 

SNES	Condition
Mortal Kombat II	Loose
Super Scope 6	Loose
Wild Guns	Loose, Bad Label Damage

 

N64	Condition
Bomber Man 64 The Second Attack!	Loose
Pokemon Snap	Loose

 

Gamecube	Condition
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles	Disc and case. Artwork is a little dinged up. No Manual
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets	Complete in Box, blockbuster stickers on case.
Super Mario Sunshine	Game and Manual. Case included, but the artwork may be a reprint.

 

Sega Genesis	Condition
Genesis 6-Pak	Loose cartridge
Jurrassic Park	Loose cartridge, Sharpie on Label
Phantasy Star IV	Loose cartridge, Label Damage
Quackshot	Complete In Box
Rocket Knight Adventures	Loose cartridge, Label Damage
Spider-Man	Loose cartridge, Label Damage

 

Sega Saturn	Condition
Vampire Savior (Import, Dark Stalkers 2)	Game and artwork, no spine slip. Some creases in the artwork.

 

Sega Dreamcast	Condition
Power Stone	CIB
Power Stone 2	CIB

 

PSP	Condition
Silent Hill Origins	Game and Case

 

PS1	Condition
Castlevania Chronicles	Loose
Chocobo's Dungeon 2	Complete in Box
Crash Bash	Complete in Box
Dark Stalkers	Loose
Dark Stalkers 3	Loose
Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver	Loose
Silent Hill	Loose disc
Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo	Complete in Box
Valkyrie Profile	Discs and Case, no manual
World of Dragon Warrior Torneko The Last Hope	Loose disc

 

PS2	Condition
Baldur's Gate Dark Alliance	Complete in Box; Greatest Hits
Burnout	Complete in Box; Greatest Hits
Burnout 2	Loose Disc
Burnout 3 Takedown	Complete, Water Damage on back cover art
Burnout Dominator	Case and Disc, Disc has superficial scratches but still boots
Burnout Revenge	Complete, Greatest Hits
Castlevania Curse of Darkness	Loose, Disc has light scratching
Crash Bandicoot The Wrath of Cortex	Greatest Hits, Used, Disc and Case
Dragon Ball Z Budokai Tenkaichi	Complete in Box; Greatest Hits
Final Fantasy X	Greatest Hits, Used, Disc and Case
Final Fantasy X-2	Complete; Greatest Hits
God of War II	Complete; Greatest Hits
Grand Theft Auto Vice City	Disc, Case, Poster, No Manual
.Hack Quaratine	Game, Anime Disc, and Case. Missing Manual
Jak and Daxter	Greatest Hits, Used, Disc and Case
Marvel vs Capcom 2	Cracked Disc, won't boot for me. Comes with case, no manual
Metal Gear Solid 2 Sons of Liberty	Greatest Hits, Used, Disc and Case
Naruto Ultimate Ninja 2	Disc and Case
Need for Speed Underground	Greatest Hits, Used, Disc and Case
Need for Speed Hot Pursuit 2	Greatest Hits, Used, Disc and Case
Resident Evil Dead Aim	Game and Case, No manual
Scarface	Complete; Greatest Hits
Star Wars Battlefront II	Disc and Case
Tekken Tag Tournament	Disc and Case; Greatest Hits

 

PS3	Condition
Castlevania Lord of Shadow Collection	Loose

 

PS4	Condition
APEX Construct	Sealed

 

PS5	Condition
Battlefield 2042	Complete in Box

 

XBOX One	Condition
Watchdogs	Sealed

 

Consoles	Condition
Monster Hunter Rise Edition Switch	New in Box (No game code)
Playstation 2 w/FreeMcBoot	Original PS2 "Fat" system. Won't read PS1 or blue PS2 discs. Laser could be ready to go bad, or just need re-alignment. Comes with a Yellow PS2 Memory Card that has FreeMcBoot on it. Free McBoot will allow you to to play games off of a hard drive if desired. No cords/controllers included.
Pokemon Scarlet/Violet Edition OLED Switch	New In Box
Sega Dreamcast	Includes Deck, 1 Controller, Power Cable, and AV Cable
SNES Jr.	Includes Deck, RF Coax Cable, Third Party AC Adapter, and Third Party Controller. Small crack on the corner.
Splatoon 3 Edition OLED Switch

 

Controllers	Condition
Fortnite Joy-Con Set	Comes from the Fortnite Edition Console, never used
Joy-Con Grip	Bagged/Unused - Came with console
Oculus Quest 1/Rift S Left Controller	Used but very good condition. Comes with silicon case
Oculus Quest 1/Rift S Right Controller	Used but very good condition. Comes with silicon case
Platinum Gamecube Controller	Third Party, no nintendo logo, wired, good condition
Joy-Con (Left/Gray)	Good, no drift
Joy-Con (Right/Neon Red)	Good, no drift, Factory refurbished
SNES Controller	Third Party, no nintendo logo
SPIN Z WiiU Pro Controller	Black, Near Mint
SPIN Z WiiU Pro Controller	Black, Near Mint

 

Misc.	Condition
3D Printed Question Block Switch Cart Case	Holds 6 switch carts and 6 Micro SD Cards
Black MagicGate 8MB PS2 Memory Card	Has Free McBoot loaded onto the card
Blue MagicGate 8MB PS2 Memory Card	Has Free McBoot loaded onto the card
Yellow Nyko MagicGate 8MB PS2 Memory Card	Has Free McBoot loaded onto the card
Super Smash Bros Ultimate Nintendo Switch ConsoleBox Only	Empty Box, good condition
Animal Crossing Nintendo Switch Console Box Only	Empty Box, good condition
Pokemon Dialga & Palkia Switch Lite Box Only	Empty Box, good condition
Fortnite Nintendo Switch Console Box Only	Empty Box, good condition
The Art of Splatoon 2	Sealed
Kid Icarus Uprising Players Guide (Imported, no AR cards)	Shows a little wear
Nintendo Switch AC Adapter	Gently used
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Pre-Order Coin	Sealed
Breath of the Wild Sheikah Coin	From BotW Special Edition, Good condition
Pokken Art Cel Pre-Order Bonus	Sealed
Blastoise New 3DS Plates	Plates are mint and unused
Nintendo 3DS Stand	OEM, Came with Kid Icarus Uprising
Kid Icarus AR Card Set (205/404)	Contains 205 different US cards, no duplicates. This is roughly half the entire set. An itemized list can be provided upon request.
Kid Icarus AR - Pit Rally Cry Sealed Pack	Sealed pack of cards that contains AKDE-403,014,086
Shantae Risky's Revenge 2 LP Soundtrack Vinyl	Sealed

 

Cases	Condition
Dot Hack (.HACK) Infection	Case & Manual
Dot Hack (.HACK) Mutation	Case only
Dot Hack (.HACK) Outbreak	Case & Manual
The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom	Includes everything but the game
God of War Chains of Olympus	Case and Manual Only

 

Freebies	Condition
Gold Game & Watch Stand	Gold Game & Watch stand meant for the 35th Anniversary Edition Zelda G&W, but likely works with others.
Playstation 2 IDE Connector	Upgraded my HD Adapter to SATA, these are the old/leftover connectors.
Leapster Games

 

Wants	Console
Kid Icarus Uprising AR Cards: AKDE-025 AKDE-039 (Will consider others)	None
Asheron's Call Memorabilia	PC
Game & Watch Devices (Excluding 35th Mario & Zelda editions)	None
Sola to robo	DS
Izuna Legend of the Unemployed Ninja (Case Only)	DS
Little Red Ridinghood Zombie BBQ	DS
Metal Gear Acid	PSP
Classic NES Series: Ice Climbers	GBA
Classic NES Series: Excitebike	GBA
Classic NES Series: Dr. Mario	GBA
Classic NES Series: Donkey Kong	GBA
Classic NES Series: Pac-Man	GBA
Classic NES Series: The Legend of Zelda	GBA
Classic NES Series: Xevious	GBA
Pokemon Puzzle Challenge	GBC
Night Warriors Darkstalkers Revenge (Case & Manual Only)	Saturn
R.O.B. Accessories	NES
Turbo	Wii U
Blaster Master 2	Genesis

Prices are subjective, negotiable, and do not include shipping.   Photos upon request
 

amiibo	Price	Condition
Zelda Loftwing	30	New In Box
Sanrio amiibo cards	12	Sealed Pack
Inkling Boy - Neon Green	39	Loose/Mint
Mario Cereal Box	15	Cereal Removed/Flattened
Isabelle Summer Outfit	40	Open Box
Cyrus/K.K./Reese	18	New In Box/Damaged box
Tom Nook	12	New In Box
Mabel	9	New In Box

 

Switch	Price	Condition
Azure Striker Gunvolt Striker Pack	40	Sealed
Aggelos	40	Complete in Box
Bendy and the Ink Machine	30	Complete in Box
Cruel King and the Great Hero Storybook Edition	60	Complete in Box
Disgaea 1 Rosen Edition	100	Complete in Box
Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom Collector's Edition	200	Sealed
Metroid Dread Collector's Edition	110	Sealed, a few dings associated with shipping
Monster Hunter Stories 2 Collector's Edition	160	Sealed
The Mummy Demastered	55	Complete in Box
Pokemon Sword + Expansion	110	Cart only, Expansion pass is on cartridge
River City Girls	200	Sealed, Best Buy Variant
Shadowverse Champion's Battle	15	Loose
Shantae Collector's Edition	150	Sealed
Shantae Risky's Revenge Collector's Edition	150	Sealed
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Cowabunga Collection	30	Sealed
Unravel 2	30	Sealed
Yu-Gi-Oh Legacy of the Duelist: Link Evolution	18	Loose
Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap	40	Complete in Box

 

Wii	Price	Condition
Batallion Wars 2	11	Game and Case
Castle of Shikigami III	75	Complete in Box
Okami	10	Game and Case

 

WiiU Games	Price	Condition
Batman Arkham City Armored Edition	40	Sealed
Disney Infinity 2.0	15	Sealed
Mario Kart 8	15	Complete in Box
Nintendoland	10	Complete in Box
Star Fox Guard	10	Complete in Box

 

DS	Price	Condition
Super Scribblenauts	5	Loose
Witch's Wish	120	Game and Case, missing manual

 

3DS	Price	Condition
Kid Icarus Uprising (Japanese)	40	Game, Manual, and Case (No Big Box)

 

GBA	Price	Condition
Boktai 2	200	Loose
Game & Watch Gallery 4	16	Loose, Torn Label
Lady Sia	30	Loose, EU import
Lady Sia	50	Loose. Label imperfections
Super Puzzle Fighter 2	60	Complete in Box
Super Mario Advance	13	No label

 

GB	Price	Condition
Alleyway	5	Loose
Castlevania Legends	180	Loose, label wear
Kid Dracula	240	Loose

 

NES	Price	Condition
Faria	200	Game and Box. Box has some wear
Kid Icarus	180	Game, Box, and Manual; Box shows wear; Protective case for box and manual included

 

SNES	Price	Condition
Mortal Kombat II	20	Loose
Super Scope 6	22	Loose
Wild Guns	270	Loose, Bad Label Damage

 

N64	Price	Condition
Bomber Man 64 The Second Attack!	250	Loose
Pokemon Snap	20	Loose

 

Gamecube	Price	Condition
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles	14	Disc and case. Artwork is a little dinged up. No Manual
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets	16	Complete in Box, blockbuster stickers on case.
Super Mario Sunshine	40	Game and Manual. Case included, but the artwork may be a reprint.

 

Sega Genesis	Price	Condition
Genesis 6-Pak	18	Loose cartridge
Jurrassic Park	10	Loose cartridge, Sharpie on Label
Phantasy Star IV	70	Loose cartridge, Label Damage
Quackshot	40	Complete In Box
Rocket Knight Adventures	37	Loose cartridge, Label Damage
Spider-Man	12	Loose cartridge, Label Damage

 

Sega Saturn	Price	Condition
Vampire Savior (Import, Dark Stalkers 2)	40	Game and artwork, no spine slip. Some creases in the artwork.

 

Sega Dreamcast	Price	Condition
Power Stone	120	CIB
Power Stone 2	160	CIB

 

PSP	Price	Condition
Silent Hill Origins	50	Game and Case

 

PS1	Price	Condition
Castlevania Chronicles	120	Loose
Chocobo's Dungeon 2	100	Complete in Box
Crash Bash	15	Complete in Box
Dark Stalkers	47	Loose
Dark Stalkers 3	47	Loose
Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver	18	Loose
Silent Hill	105	Loose disc
Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo	40	Complete in Box
Valkyrie Profile	325	Discs and Case, no manual
World of Dragon Warrior Torneko The Last Hope	80	Loose disc

 

PS2	Price	Condition
Baldur's Gate Dark Alliance	17	Complete in Box; Greatest Hits
Burnout	8	Complete in Box; Greatest Hits
Burnout 2	8	Loose Disc
Burnout 3 Takedown	11	Complete, Water Damage on back cover art
Burnout Dominator	9	Case and Disc, Disc has superficial scratches but still boots
Burnout Revenge	10	Complete, Greatest Hits
Castlevania Curse of Darkness	60	Loose, Disc has light scratching
Crash Bandicoot The Wrath of Cortex	10	Greatest Hits, Used, Disc and Case
Dragon Ball Z Budokai Tenkaichi	15	Complete in Box; Greatest Hits
Final Fantasy X	6	Greatest Hits, Used, Disc and Case
Final Fantasy X-2	6	Complete; Greatest Hits
God of War II	13	Complete; Greatest Hits
Grand Theft Auto Vice City	10	Disc, Case, Poster, No Manual
.Hack Quaratine	300	Game, Anime Disc, and Case. Missing Manual
Jak and Daxter	10	Greatest Hits, Used, Disc and Case
Marvel vs Capcom 2	60	Cracked Disc, won't boot for me. Comes with case, no manual
Metal Gear Solid 2 Sons of Liberty	10	Greatest Hits, Used, Disc and Case
Naruto Ultimate Ninja 2	10	Disc and Case
Need for Speed Underground	10	Greatest Hits, Used, Disc and Case
Need for Speed Hot Pursuit 2	10	Greatest Hits, Used, Disc and Case
Resident Evil Dead Aim	50	Game and Case, No manual
Scarface	40	Complete; Greatest Hits
Star Wars Battlefront II	10	Disc and Case
Tekken Tag Tournament	10	Disc and Case; Greatest Hits

 

PS3	Price	Condition
Castlevania Lord of Shadow Collection	30	Loose

 

PS4	Price	Condition
APEX Construct	15	Sealed

 

PS5	Price	Condition
Battlefield 2042	20	Complete in Box

 

XBOX One	Price	Condition
Watchdogs	15	Sealed

 

Consoles	Price	Condition
Monster Hunter Rise Edition Switch	420	New in Box (No game code)
Playstation 2 w/FreeMcBoot	80	Original PS2 "Fat" system. Won't read PS1 or blue PS2 discs. Laser could be ready to go bad, or just need re-alignment. Comes with a Yellow PS2 Memory Card that has FreeMcBoot on it. Free McBoot will allow you to to play games off of a hard drive if desired. No cords/controllers included.
Pokemon Scarlet/Violet Edition OLED Switch	400	New In Box
Sega Dreamcast	120	Includes Deck, 1 Controller, Power Cable, and AV Cable
SNES Jr.	120	Includes Deck, RF Coax Cable, Third Party AC Adapter, and Third Party Controller. Small crack on the corner.
Splatoon 3 Edition OLED Switch	400

 

Controllers	Price	Condition
Fortnite Joy-Con Set	120	Comes from the Fortnite Edition Console, never used
Joy-Con Grip	8	Bagged/Unused - Came with console
Oculus Quest 1/Rift S Left Controller	115	Used but very good condition. Comes with silicon case
Oculus Quest 1/Rift S Right Controller	115	Used but very good condition. Comes with silicon case
Platinum Gamecube Controller	20	Third Party, no nintendo logo, wired, good condition
Joy-Con (Left/Gray)	35	Good, no drift
Joy-Con (Right/Neon Red)	35	Good, no drift, Factory refurbished
SNES Controller	10	Third Party, no nintendo logo
SPIN Z WiiU Pro Controller	25	Black, Near Mint
SPIN Z WiiU Pro Controller	25	Black, Near Mint

 

Misc.	Price	Condition
3D Printed Question Block Switch Cart Case	12	Holds 6 switch carts and 6 Micro SD Cards
Black MagicGate 8MB PS2 Memory Card	20	Has Free McBoot loaded onto the card
Blue MagicGate 8MB PS2 Memory Card	20	Has Free McBoot loaded onto the card
Yellow Nyko MagicGate 8MB PS2 Memory Card	20	Has Free McBoot loaded onto the card
Super Smash Bros Ultimate Nintendo Switch ConsoleBox Only	90	Empty Box, good condition
Animal Crossing Nintendo Switch Console Box Only	20	Empty Box, good condition
Pokemon Dialga & Palkia Switch Lite Box Only	30	Empty Box, good condition
Fortnite Nintendo Switch Console Box Only	20	Empty Box, good condition
The Art of Splatoon 2	300	Sealed
Kid Icarus Uprising Players Guide (Imported, no AR cards)	30	Shows a little wear
Nintendo Switch AC Adapter	20	Gently used
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Pre-Order Coin	15	Sealed
Breath of the Wild Sheikah Coin	25	From BotW Special Edition, Good condition
Pokken Art Cel Pre-Order Bonus	7	Sealed
Blastoise New 3DS Plates	150	Plates are mint and unused
Nintendo 3DS Stand	30	OEM, Came with Kid Icarus Uprising
Kid Icarus AR Card Set (205/404)	600	Contains 205 different US cards, no duplicates. This is roughly half the entire set. An itemized list can be provided upon request.
Kid Icarus AR - Pit Rally Cry Sealed Pack	20	Sealed pack of cards that contains AKDE-403,014,086
Shantae Risky's Revenge 2 LP Soundtrack Vinyl	55	Sealed

 

Cases	Price	Condition
Dot Hack (.HACK) Infection	20	Case & Manual
Dot Hack (.HACK) Mutation	20	Case only
Dot Hack (.HACK) Outbreak	30	Case & Manual
The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom	150	Includes everything but the game
God of War Chains of Olympus	15	Case and Manual Only

 

Freebies	Price	Condition
Gold Game & Watch Stand	Free with purchase	Gold Game & Watch stand meant for the 35th Anniversary Edition Zelda G&W, but likely works with others.
Playstation 2 IDE Connector	Free with purchase	Upgraded my HD Adapter to SATA, these are the old/leftover connectors.
Leapster Games	Free with purchase

 

June 5
Venezuela: The Failure of Political Change and the Future of Human Rights
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/venezuela-the-failure-of-political-change-and-the-future-of-human-rights-tickets-643989569137
Michelle Good: Truth Telling (North York Central Library)
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/michelle-good-truth-telling-north-york-central-library-tickets-629479499127
Brick 111 Launch
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/brick-111-launch-tickets-637340973007
Photo Editing with Photoshop - Intermediate
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/photo-editing-with-photoshop-intermediate-tickets-635461290827
THIS IS NOT THE SHOW/Trampoline Hall Party
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/this-is-not-the-showtrampoline-hall-party-tickets-642566613037
Se Habla Español - We Speak Spanish Toronto
https://www.meetup.com/toronto/events/293580279/
🎱Play Pool, Make Friends, Have Fun in Downtown Toronto!🎱
https://www.meetup.com/torontobilliardsclub/events/293577863/
lululemon: Monday Night QSW RunCrew
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lululemon-monday-night-qsw-runcrew-tickets-641544194957
ULTIMATE FRISBEE All Genders Welcome! No Experience Necessary!
https://www.meetup.com/mracx-multisport/events/293936877/
North York Soccer Pick-up Co-ed Game each Monday
https://www.meetup.com/toronto-soccer-meetup/events/293979378/
** SUMMER RATES & SCHEDULE ** INDOOR SOCCER METRO SPORTSPLEX by JLSOCCER.COM
https://www.meetup.com/toronto-soccer-meetup/events/293582240/
Jays vs Astros @ SkyDome
https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/schedule/2023-06
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts. Free preview @ Scotiabank Cinema. YMMV
https://forums.redflagdeals.com/scotiabank-cinema-toronto-june-5-transformers-rise-beasts-free-preview-scotiabank-cinema-ymmv-2621056/
$9.99 Raiders Of The Lost Ark @ Cineplex. Until June 8
https://www.cineplex.com/movie/raiders-of-the-lost-ark-2019
Metropolis @ Revue Cinema
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/anime-at-the-revue-metropolis-2001-tickets-617154264017
Lilo and Stitch @ Paradise Theatre
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/family-fare-presents-lilo-stitch-tickets-640862315437
Jewish Film Festival. Until June 11
https://tjff.com/
Casino bus to Niagara Falls
https://safewaytours.net/en/casino-tours/
Toronto Games Week. Until June 7
https://torontogamesweek.com/
$10 Clothing and Shoe Sale @ International Centre. Until June 11
https://www.popupgiant.com/
Canadian Music Week. Until June 10. Various venues
https://cmw.net/
Women in Music BC - Toronto Showcase & Networking Event
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/women-in-music-bc-toronto-showcase-networking-event-tickets-637254684917
Meredith Lazowski @ Cameron House
https://www.thecameron.com/shows
Frankie Rose @ Monarch Tavern
https://www.themonarchtavern.com/calendar
Punk rock cover night @ Bovine Sex Club
https://www.bovinesexclub.com/
Karaoke @ Toby's
https://www.instagram.com/jasonrolland/
$18.88 unlimited evening bowling @ Splitsville
https://splitsville.ca/richmond-hill-bowling/
Trivia @ Stout Irish
https://www.headscratcherstrivia.com/
Mean Girls trivia @ Hemingway's
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/mean-girls-trivia-41-1st-night-tickets-633735559117
Trivia Mondays at Film Cafe
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/trivia-mondays-at-film-cafe-tickets-594746230987
Weekly trivia roundup
https://www.reddit.com/toronto/comments/ukk8dm/roundup_of_trivia_nights_in_toronto/
SiriusXM free preview. Until June 5
https://www.siriusxm.com/offers/free-listen
Open Life Drawing Toronto @ St Matthew's United Church
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/open-life-drawing-toronto-registration-565727234387
Mirvish lottery for $19 discounted Harry Potter tickets
https://lottery.mirvish.com/
Cirque du Soleil Kooza. Until June 18
https://www.cirquedusoleil.com/kooza
Disney Animation: Immersive Experience Toronto
https://tickets.lighthouseimmersive.com/toronto/?#/
Stranger Things : The Experience
https://strangerthings-experience.com/toronto/
The Office Experience @ Yorkdale Mall
https://theofficeexperience.com/toronto/
Jurassic World The Exhibition @ Square One
https://jurassicworldexhibition.com/mississauga/
Registration continues for JAM sports leagues
https://toronto.jamsports.com/index.php
YMCA free 7-day trial pass
https://trythey.ymcagta.org
GoodLife Fitness free 7-day trial pass
https://try.goodlifefitness.com/raptors?utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=MSLE-Partnership&utm_source=Partner
Presto card discounts. Various attractions, shows , restaurants
https://www.prestocard.ca/en/about/presto-perks
Free admission to various attractions via TPL Map Pass Program
https://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/museum-arts-passes/
Toronto History Museums free admission
https://www.toronto.ca/explore-enjoy/history-art-culture/museums/
Indoor /outdoor pools
https://www.toronto.ca/explore-enjoy/recreation/swimming/#location=&lat=&lng=
Self guided Discovery Tours
https://www.toronto.ca/services-payments/streets-parking-transportation/sidewalk-tours-wayfinding/self-guided-tours/discovery-tours/
Seeing the Invisible An Outdoor Augmented Reality Exhibition
https://moca.ca/exhibitions/seeing-the-invisible/
Volunteer w/Bike Brigade
https://www.bikebrigade.ca/
Volunteer w/Nature Stewards to remove invasive plants
https://torontonaturestewards.org/
Monday Night Open Mic
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/monday-night-open-mic-tickets-606768891087
Take the plunge: First taste for solos @ Oasis
https://members.oasisaqualounge.com/sessions/new
Naughty on a school night @ M4
http://clubm4.com/event-calenda
Complimentary Wine Tastings at Blue Door Wine Shop
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/complimentary-wine-tastings-at-blue-door-wine-shop-tickets-632110087287
$4.99 Big Mary chicken sandwich @ Mary Brown's
https://marybrowns.com/offers/
$5 Big Crunch chicken sandwich @ KFC
https://www.kfc.ca/menu/deals/sandwich-of-the-day
$10 OG chicken sandwich @ Union Chicken
https://www.unionchicken.com/menu-daily-specials
$18.99 AYCE endless wings @ Hooters. Drink purchase required
https://www.hooters.to/downtown-toronto
50% off wings @ Montana's. Drink purchase required
https://www.montanas.ca/en/promotions/dailydeals.html
$23.99 AYCE endless wings @ St Louis. Until July 2
https://www.stlouiswings.com/wingsanity/
$10 unlimited toppings @ Pi . Co
https://forums.redflagdeals.com/pi-co-10-unlimited-topping-craft-pizza-2592458/
Summer drink days @ McDonald's. Until Sept 4
https://forums.redflagdeals.com/mcdonalds-summer-drink-days-may-23-september-4-2617674/
Birthday freebies. Marble Slab, and more
https://forums.redflagdeals.com/birthday-freebies-version-2017-2022-1719925/
_------------------------------------------------------------------------
June 6
Group bike ride w/TBN
https://tbn.ca/event-5254039
Jays vs Astros @ SkyDome. $1 hot dog night
https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/schedule/2023-06
Annex history walk
https://www.meetup.com/the-history-of-parkdale/events/293929579/
Lights, Camera, Action: Hollywood North Film Locations history walk
https://www.meetup.com/the-history-of-parkdale/events/293906659/
🎱 Pool and Drinks Social @ Dundas West Shoxs Billiard Lounge 🎱
https://www.meetup.com/torontobilliardsclub/events/293599792/
Mississauga: Outdoor Pick-up Soccer
https://www.meetup.com/toronto-soccer-meetup/events/293600506/
Spiderman: Across the Spiderverse w/Meetup
https://www.meetup.com/made-about-movies/events/293550018/
Drake Bingo w/Devine Darlin @ Drake Hotel
https://www.thedrake.ca/thedrakehotel/whatson/
Trivia @ Stout Irish
https://www.headscratcherstrivia.com/
Four band showcase @ Dakota Tavern
https://www.dakotatavern.ca/
Dylan @ Velvet Underground
http://thevelvet.ca/events/
David Pryde @ Absolute Comedy
https://www.absolutecomedy.ca/toronto
Skyline's The Limit @ Second City
https://www.secondcity.com/shows/toronto/the-second-city-mainstage-87th-revue/?tickets=&date=
50% off wings @ Crown and Dragon. Drink purchase required. After 5PM
https://www.crownanddragon.com/
_------------------------------------------------------------------------
June 7
Jays vs Astros @ SkyDome
https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/schedule/2023-06
Aga Khan Museum free admission after 4PM
https://www.agakhanmuseum.org/visit/tickets-hours.html
Gardiner Museum free admission after 4PM
https://www.gardinermuseum.on.ca/visit/
AGO free admission after 6PM
https://ago.ca/visit/free-wednesday-nights
Free ROM Walk: King Street East Newspapers & Newsmakers
https://www.rom.on.ca/en/whats-on/free-walk-king-street-east-newspapers-newsmakers-june-723
Yonge Street architecture tour w/Heritage Toronto. PWYC/donation
https://www.heritagetoronto.org/whats-on/yonge-street-architecture-june-7/
Hairspray. Free outdoor movie @ College Park
https://downtownyonge.com/series/college-park-after-hours/
Humber College - The Portfolio Screening. Free @ Royal Cinema
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-portfolio-screening-tickets-633594416957?aff=eand
Group bike ride w/Toronto Cruisers
http://torontocruisers.com/
Mad Caddies @ Lee's Palace
https://www.leespalace.com/events
David Pryde @ Absolute Comedy
https://www.absolutecomedy.ca/toronto
Skyline's The Limit @ Second City
https://www.secondcity.com/shows/toronto/the-second-city-mainstage-87th-revue/?tickets=&date=
Mosquito. Movie screening + comedy commentary @ Comedy Bar
https://comedybar.ca/shows/guts-for-laughs
_------------------------------------------------------------------------
June 8
Luxury Cosmetics Warehouse Sale @ Markham Fairgrounds
https://tcws-markham-june-2023.splashthat.com/Social
Horse racing @ Woodbine. Free admission and parking
https://woodbine.com/upcoming-races/
Jays vs Astros @ SkyDome
https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/schedule/2023-06
Bingo @ Flash On Church
http://flashonchurch.com/
Kreator and Sepultura @ Danforth Music Hall
https://thedanforth.com/
Live band karaoke @ Wheatsheaf Tavern
https://www.goodenoughlivekaraoke.com/upcoming-shows.html
David Pryde @ Absolute Comedy
https://www.absolutecomedy.ca/toronto
Skyline's The Limit @ Second City
https://www.secondcity.com/shows/toronto/the-second-city-mainstage-87th-revue/?tickets=&date=
_------------------------------------------------------------------------
June 9
Toronto Tattoo Show @ MTCC
https://www.torontotattooshow.com/
Luxury Cosmetics Warehouse Sale @ Markham Fairgrounds
https://tcws-markham-june-2023.splashthat.com/Social
Horse racing @ Woodbine. Free admission and parking
https://woodbine.com/upcoming-races/
Jays vs Twins @ SkyDome
https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/schedule/2023-06
Bingo @ Flash On Church
http://flashonchurch.com/
MOCA free admission after 5PM
https://moca.ca/visit/
David Pryde @ Absolute Comedy
https://www.absolutecomedy.ca/toronto
Skyline's The Limit @ Second City
https://www.secondcity.com/shows/toronto/the-second-city-mainstage-87th-revue/?tickets=&date=
_------------------------------------------------------------------------
June 10
$10/$15 unlimited GO Transit
https://www.gotransit.com/en/travelling-with-us/promotions-and-events/weekend-passes-with-go
Bus to Casino Rama
https://www.casinorama.com/vip-coach/
Luxury Cosmetics Warehouse Sale @ Markham Fairgrounds
https://tcws-markham-june-2023.splashthat.com/Social
Toronto Islands walk w/MeetUp. Dog friendly. Free
https://meetu.ps/e/M9NqK/fM5W/i
Hike+meditation+beach. ParkBus to Kelso
https://activedays.parkbus.ca/meditation-hike
Scarborough RT farewell food tour
https://www.eventbrite.com/o/scarborough-environmental-association-59879713283
Bike Party group bike ride
https://linktr.ee/bikepartytoronto
World Naked Bike Ride
https://www.blogto.com/rada2023/02/world-naked-bike-ride-toronto-returning/
Horse racing @ Woodbine. Free admission and parking
https://woodbine.com/upcoming-races/
Jays vs Twins @ SkyDome
https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/schedule/2023-06
Toronto Rush vs Philadelphia Phoenix @ Varsity Stadium
https://theaudl.com/rush/schedule
Toronto Tattoo Show @ MTCC
https://www.torontotattooshow.com/
Open Tuning music festival. Free
https://opentuningfestival.wordpress.com/
Bingo @ Flash On Church
http://flashonchurch.com/
TSA walking tours
https://torontosocietyofarchitects.ca/tours/
Singles mini party @ Drake Hotel
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/singles-mini-party-the-drake-hotel-restaurant-tickets-643796842687
David Pryde @ Absolute Comedy
https://www.absolutecomedy.ca/toronto
Skyline's The Limit @ Second City
https://www.secondcity.com/shows/toronto/the-second-city-mainstage-87th-revue/?tickets=&date=
_------------------------------------------------------------------------
June 11
$10/$15 unlimited GO Transit
https://www.gotransit.com/en/travelling-with-us/promotions-and-events/weekend-passes-with-go
Bus to Casino Rama
https://www.casinorama.com/vip-coach/
Free ROM Walk: Kensington
https://www.rom.on.ca/en/whats-on/free-walk-kensington-june-1123
TSA walking tours
https://torontosocietyofarchitects.ca/tours/
Toronto Tattoo Show @ MTCC
https://www.torontotattooshow.com/
Luxury Cosmetics Warehouse Sale @ Markham Fairgrounds
https://tcws-markham-june-2023.splashthat.com/Social
Horse racing @ Woodbine. Free admission and parking
https://woodbine.com/upcoming-races/
Jays vs Twins @ SkyDome
https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/schedule/2023-06
Toronto Maple Leafs vs Guelph Royals. Free baseball @ Christie Pits
https://www.mapleleafsbaseball.com/stats#/team-schedule?team_id=238204
Bingo @ Flash On Church
http://flashonchurch.com/
Bata Shoe Museum free admission
https://batashoemuseum.ca/visit-us/
Trivia Sunday Afternoons at 99 Bottles
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/trivia-sunday-afternoons-at-99-bottles-tickets-558319557827
Free drop-in kickball @ Alexandra Park. Beginners welcome
https://www.facebook.com/TorontoKickball/
$18.88 unlimited evening bowling @ Splitsville
https://splitsville.ca/richmond-hill-bowling/
Karaoke @ Toby's
https://www.instagram.com/jasonrolland/
Karaoke @ Capone's
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/karaoke-sundays-tickets-640202251167
Karaoke @ The Hashtag
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/karaoke-night-hosted-in-a-friendly-restro-bar-located-at-st-clair-ave-w-tickets-509785882297
David Pryde @ Absolute Comedy
https://www.absolutecomedy.ca/toronto
Skyline's The Limit @ Second City
https://www.secondcity.com/shows/toronto/the-second-city-mainstage-87th-revue/?tickets=&date=
$5 meals @ Tea N Bannock. Free for kids 12 and under
https://forums.redflagdeals.com/tea-n-bannock-toronto-5-sunday-meals-tea-n-bannock-free-kids-12-under-2620632/
50% off wings @ Crown and Dragon. Drink purchase required
https://www.crownanddragon.com/

(Any sentences or phrases wrapped with brackets "[ ]" are designated as inner monologue!)
Thank you to u/SpacePaladin15 for creating this wonderful literary universe!
< First Previous Next >
Memory transcription subject: Lemva, Venlil Archeologist
Date [standardized human time]: July 13, 2165
The attendant, Harold, had told me that there would be another passenger boarding shortly several minutes ago, and since then I couldn't keep still wondering who I was going to meet.As I sat on the couch, I couldn’t help but eavesdrop on the conversation that Harold had just started with the other passenger. As I heard a new voice respond to Harold’s greeting my heart started beating faster. Wait, the voice sounded familiar…
My heart rate quickened as footsteps came closer down the hallway.A man wearing a black suit and indigo tie came walking around the corner and my heart fluttered a little as I looked up at his face.
“Lemva?”
“James?” I squeaked as I said his name. I jumped up off the couch and ran toward him, throwing my arms around him and nearly knocking him over. “Lemva!”
Looking up at him, I realized what I had just done, backing off slightly embarrassed. “James! I haven’t seen you in so long, what have you been up to?”
“Looking into ancient history, studying declassified documents, bringing back ancient history, that sorta thing.” James kneeled slightly and looked at me with a wide smile, I’d missed that smile so much. He opened his mouth to speak. “I wasn’t expecting to see you on this flight. It’s very good to see you!” “It’s good to see you too! So you’re one of the others that the UN’s invitation spoke of.” “It seems that way, yeah.” He chuckled slightly.
“I see you two are getting along well! I don’t even have to introduce you.” I realized Harold had been standing there watching the interaction the whole time. I straightened myself out, even more embarrassed than before. Harold chuckled. “Alright you two, we’re going to be taking off shortly. I’ll be in the cabin along with the captain. If you need me, press these buttons.” He handed us both a device with a singular blue button labeled “call”.
The man turned around and headed through the door leading to the cockpit. Leaving us alone. We both sat on a couch. James spoke, “So, do you know anything about the job being offered?” “I was going to ask you the same thing.” “Hmm, well we’re going to be in for a long flight, may as well catch up on some things.”
Me and James had known each other since we attended MIK, and had a lot of history. We met in the college’s history club, and quickly became friends. We both had a passion for learning about things that most others had forgotten, and theorizing about what life was like in ancient times. He didn’t know it but I had a huge crush on him at the time.
We stayed in contact long after we both got our doctorates, despite the large distances between us. Eventually James suddenly stopped contacting me, I never understood why. I had worried that it was something I did, that I had pushed him away. Then, after a while, he faded from memory, only existing in the back of my mind. I needed to know why. But not now, this was too soon.
“I know I already asked what you’ve been up to since we last spoke, but still. Discovered anything new?”
“Yeah, I got my hands on some recently declassified Fed info and artifacts around 8 months back. Studied them and found out they were ancient Gojid pottery, inscriptions described some sort of fertility god? Found some other inscriptions describing the site of an ancient Gojid city on The Cradle and got in contact with a dig team to go search there. Hit the motherlode and-” He spoke so enthusiastically about his findings. Just seeing him so happy about his work made me bloom, but thankfully he didn’t notice as he kept talking, waving his hands to emphasize his words. “-trying to find a museum that has the room for all of them.”
“Wow, that’s a lot more than what I’ve been doing.” “Really? Lemva hasn’t done anything interesting lately? I find that hard to believe.” James took on an amused expression. “Yes, really. I’ve been on vacation with my family for a little while, that’s all. It had been a while since I’d seen them.”
I could see his smile visibly lessen, he shifted his eyes, seeming to be deep in thought. Had I said something wrong? “Hey, are you okay?” I asked. “Yeah, I’m fine. Your mention of family brought back some… memories.” A singular tear formed below his left eye, before he looked away. I didn’t want to push, despite his failed attempt at hiding his sadness. “Oh, we can change the subject if you want.”
He wiped his eyes and shuddered, before straightening himself out. “No, it’s ok. You should probably know anyway. It’s part of the reason I haven’t talked to you in so long.” I was hoping to get some answers but now I didn’t know if I wanted to if it was making him this upset.
“A- alright, go ahead. You can stop at any time if you want to.” “Before I start I want to say how sorry I am for ghosting you.” He closed his eyes, inhaling and exhaling deeply. A somber expression filled his face as he opened his eyes. “Okay. You know my parents right? Bill and Angene?” “Yeah?” “A couple years back, I was doing a small job for a little town on Nishtal. Not much pay but that didn’t matter. This was during the time when the anti-human movement was in full effect.”
My heart stopped, I immediately knew where this was going.
“I wasn’t worried for them cause they were on Earth. I thought they would be away from the violence because the rioters would be too scared to be among so many ‘predators.’” His voice dripped with malice as he spat out the last word. He was always treated… differently from other people. Even so long after the war, “predator” hate was still common. He kept speaking. “Clearly I was wrong, or maybe one of those fucking rioters hated us too much to care about their own safety.” I only now noticed that he had been shaking as he spoke, but he suddenly stopped. He looked defeated, on the verge of a breakdown. “They were just bringing home groceries, that’s all. They were friendly and happy and polite and all they were doing was bringing home some things for dinner. But because they had committed the SIN of being born with forward facing eyes everyone hated them.” “On the phone the next day, I was told that my parents had been stabbed to death when walking home. I had to attend their funeral several days later, and that night the police took me in to meet their murderer. It took every ounce of energy that I could muster to not turn their disgusting little face to orange mulch.”
If anyone else had looked at James’ face at that moment, they would have seen nothing but a rabid animal looking for something to rip apart, but I didn’t see that. I saw a man that just wanted his parents back, a man that wished the world didn’t hate him. James crumpled over and started sobbing violently, and without thinking I got up and gave him the biggest hug my small arms could allow. He wrapped his muscular arms around me and buried his head into my wool, his sobs shaking my whole body. I stroked the back of his head in an attempt to comfort him, and tried doing those shushing sounds that human mothers do to calm down their children but ended up making a strange sputtering sound instead. I heard the sounds of giggling interspersed with the sobbing, leading into a fit of coughing from James. He lifted his face from my shoulder and stared into my eyes, still dripping tears but starting to smile now. He rested his chin back on my shoulder, and I gladly let him.
“I’ve missed you Lemva, you have no idea just how much I’ve missed you. I’m so sorry I left so quickly, I’m so sorry.” “I’ve missed you too James, and you don’t need to apologize, I understand. Why don’t we go drink some water and get some sleep, okay?” The man on my shoulder croaked out a hoarse “Okay” before slowly pulling himself off of me. We both got up and walked into the kitchen to grab some water. James chugged down several glasses before he was satisfied. We made our way to our separate bedrooms before saying goodnight to each other and closing our doors. I pulled the warm blankets over myself and laid my head down, exhausted from the short but intense emotional interaction. As thoughts floated through my mind, I drifted off into a deep sleep.
<<>>
I awoke to a familiar sensation, it felt as if I was standing in a shallow pool of oil. My eyes were met with black for as far as the eye could see, a seemingly endless floor of tar, and a distant orb of light. This sight had become less eerie and more frustrating the more times I had seen it. [Not this again…] I had been having this dream nearly every night for the past 3 weeks, ever since I had received the invitation from the UN. It was always the same. Endless void, endless black oil, a light always seeming within reach but always too far to catch. I decided to play along with the dream and walk towards the light, the faster I go through with this charade the faster I can wake up and talk to James again. My footsteps echoed into infinity as I waded through the sticky oil, the sensation was awful. I stopped and thought for a moment. [Know what? Fuck it, might as well do something different this time.] I turned around and walked away from the orb of light that had been taunting me for 3 weeks straight. As I walked, I could feel the texture beneath my paws slowly change. I looked down to notice that the tar floor I had grown accustomed to was now an endless field of silver sand. My paws were still sticky from the tar and were now covered with sand, great. As I stared down at the ground beneath me, it slowly started glowing brighter and brighter until it hurt my eyes. It was reflecting something.
I looked up to try to find the source of the light and stared in shock at the sight before me, despite the pain in my eyes. I could not turn away. [By the creator…]
Filling the darkness above me was a white dwarf, its brilliance seeming to burn away the darkness surrounding it. Burning streams of plasma buffeted sand in the distance, leaving only glass. I could feel it watching me, judging me. The air around me swirled and roared, picking up fragments of glass and flinging it against my face as I stood in awe. Clouds of silver shards swirled forever around me, scraping away my wool and flesh but I did not move. I could not turn away. The star seemed to fall toward me. I could not turn away. Instantly, the fury of the wind around me calmed, dropping mountains of the glittering sand onto the ground. The sands whispered to me, filling my mind with a single message.
“Find us. We await.”
<<>>
Date [standardized human time]: July 15, 2165
I stood alongside James near the airlock, we were finally here. It had been two days since I and James had boarded the ship, and we were finally on an approach to Aafa’s spaceport. I felt excited theorizing what job the UN had for us, but couldn’t help but notice a feeling of dread in the back of my mind. Aafa was the capital of the Federation before the UN Coalition began their occupation, and as a result there would probably be more xenophobia on the streets. Hopefully we wouldn’t have to stick around long enough to see it.
“Attention passengers, we are now breaking through the atmosphere, brace yourself on a nearby hand-rail or other stationary object until further notice.”
Me and James grasped the hand-rails tightly as the ship jostled through the turbulent atmosphere, the surface outside the airlock view-port slowly grew larger and larger as we descended. A beautiful city came into view as the clouds’ obfuscation subsided. I had been to Aafa twice in my life before and every time I saw its grand cities I felt a sense of wonder. I could feel the ship level out and slow down, we were almost docked. I felt a small jolt as the landing gear gently touched down on the landing pad.
Harold’s voice came through the PA system. “Alright you two, we’ve landed. I’ll be with you shortly to show you to your escort group.” James and I looked at eachother, I could see a glint of worry in his eyes. Though whether he was worried about the reactions of Aafa’s inhabitants or worried about his first impressions with such important UN personnel, I could not tell.
I heard the cabin door open far behind us and heard Harold’s footsteps make their way toward the airlock where we stood in wait. He stepped past us and took a position at the airlock door.“Welcome to Aafa.” Harold pressed a button and the blast-door slid open with a pneumatic hiss. “Follow me.” We walked down the ramp and onto the hangar bay floor. As my eyes wandered around the large room I noticed how much better kept this spaceport, or at least this hangar, was than the port on Venlil Prime or Earth. Harold took us through a door and into the main hall for this level.
As we made our way to the nearest elevator a kolshian man walked toward us, his gait taking on a menacing feel as he drew closer. When he saw me he smirked. “You sure you wanna keep walking with these predators, little lady? You’d be a lot safer with me instead of them.” I was astounded by how blatant this man was with his opinions. I tried to respond calmly to the man but couldn’t hide my offense. “No thank you, I’m perfectly fine walking with these “predators” thank you. Speak your xenophobia to someone who cares to listen.” The kolshian’s smirk disappeared as he walked toward me faster. Harold’s arm shot out in front of me, blocking the man from getting any closer, the chipper smile he usually displayed was gone from his face. “Please leave sir, we have things to attend to.” The kolshian’s angry expression intensified. “I’m not taking orders from any damn predator.” I could see the man pulling out an object from behind his back. Before I could react, I heard a sickening crunch as Harold’s fist connected with the kolshian’s face, and the man tumbled to the ground. I heard a sound as the knife we were about to be stabbed with clattered to the ground, the tentacle he had been using to wield it clutching his bleeding face. Harold in a swift motion kicked away the knife and put the kolshian in a choke hold while a group of UN security officers rushed over. Two officers cuffed the bleeding kolshian and another walked up to Harold most likely to ask for an explanation.
Harold put back on his usual cheerful expression as he turned to speak to us.“You two head down to the first floor, your escort group and one of the other 2 invitees will be waiting in the main lobby, they should be pretty obvious to spot. I’ll catch up soon but I have to explain the situation with security.” I turned to look at James as we hurried to the elevator. I could tell he was angry, but he had a glint of satisfaction in his eyes, and I would be lying if I said I didn’t feel a little similar. James scrolled down the list of floors on the screen and selected the number 1. The Aafa spaceport was easily the largest structure I had ever seen, I guess there wasn’t enough room for 400 buttons. As the elevator descended, James spoke.
“Hey Lem, you ok?” “Yeah, my heart’s beating pretty fast though. Who knows what would have happened if Harold wasn’t with us.” “Yeah, did you see how fast he handled that? Guy must be a veteran or something.” The idea brought a question to the surface of my mind that I had been pondering since I first received my invitation. “Yeah… I’ve been wondering why we’ve been treated so well ever since we got aboard the ship. I mean, we’re just a couple historians, why spend so much on the ship and all the protection? What could this job possibly be?” As I spoke, James stared past the transparent wall of the elevator and into the city skyline, he seemed to be deep in thought. “Yeah I’ve been thinking about that too… I don’t think we’ll have to theorize for much longer though, just a short drive and we can ask whoever invited us.”
My attention was brought back to reality as a DING sounded from the doorway, indicating that we were at the ground floor. The doors slid open silently and revealed a veritable swarm of people walking through the main hallway loop, several people of different species squeezed into the elevator we were just in as we walked out. James and I followed the signage on the walls for several minutes and entered into the main lobby, where we could see a group of humans with a Gojid in the middle. The humans wore black suits and sunglasses, I could also barely make out earpieces and microphones hidden among their clothing. They reminded me of the secret agents in the human spy movies I enjoyed watching. They must be our escort group.
We approached the menacing humans and they turned to look at us. Before I could speak up I heard footsteps behind me and turned to see Harold catching up with us. “Sorry for leaving you alone for a bit. I’ll talk with your escorts.” Harold walked up to the closest escort and flashed a badge at them, turning around once the mysterious man nodded. The escort spoke something into his earpiece but I couldn’t quite make it out. “Well, I’d best be going to sort out matters with the captain. I’ll meet up with you later.” Harold handed us off to the mysterious entourage and walked back into the crowd.
One of the bodyguards spoke up. “Follow me and don’t stray off course, we’ll be taking you to the senate building.” As our guards escorted us to our vehicle, I spoke to the gojid accompanying us. “Hi, my name is Lemva, this is James. Are you one of the other people invited by the UN?” The gojid spoke up in a soft voice. “Yeah, though for what reason I do not know why. My name is Cayek by the way, nice to meet you. Do you mind if we get some introductions out of the way before we arrive at the senate building?” James responded first and stretched out his arm for a handshake. It took a second for Cayek to reciprocate. “Sure! As Lemva told you, my name is James. I was born on Earth and currently live on Venlil Prime. I’m a historian and got my doctorate at MIK, where I met Lemva. We’ve known each other quite a while. I like coffee and hate the ocean.” “Oh cool, I attended there too! Got my doctorate in linguistics. When did you attend?” “Sent in an application in 2140, as soon as it opened. Got accepted around a month later.” “Nice, that was around when I joined too. We must not have crossed paths often. Though your face does seem vaguely familiar.” Cayek looked at me and I began speaking. “My name’s Lemva, though I already said that. I attended MIK with James. Went there to get a doctorate in archeology. Was born on Venlil Prime and I’ve moved too many times to count, but my latest home is on Earth.”
I noticed that we had reached our ride. Our vehicle was a black limousine, it looked slightly larger than others I had seen, perhaps it was armored? One of the guards escorting us, who I could only assume was the one in charge, opened the side door and we all crawled inside. Cayek, James, and I settled in our seats and the guard closed our doors before entering through a door closer to the front to sit facing us. The guard sat unnaturally still, staring directly at us as the vehicle drew out of the underground parking area, making me feel uneasy. I looked over at James and Cayek, they seemed just as uncomfortable as I. The ride to the Senate building was silent.
I watched the buildings glide past us as we drove down Main, toward the Capitol. The large dome shaped building grew larger as we crept closer. Nervousness invaded my mind as I wondered what the task we had been chosen for was. Why did the UN spend so much to get us here? What’s with all the security? Why us? We had reached our destination. The limousine passed through several security gates and slowed to a halt at the entrance of the grand building. The guard that had been staring at us spoke, “We’ve arrived, please exit the vehicle and follow me. As you enter the building you’ll undergo several security checks to make sure you don’t have any weapons or banned items. Don’t worry, this is all standard procedure.” Two guards who had been waiting to the side of the entrance walked over to the car and opened the side doors, allowing us to crawl out. Though it had only been a 5 minute car ride, it felt like I had been stuck in that cramped vehicle for hours.
We walked toward the entrance of the titanic building, a large podium with a hologram of the Coalition logo orbiting an artistic depiction of our sector of the galaxy stood just before the doors. The first time I had gone to Aafa as a child, the podium had supported a large statue of Chief Nikonus, the president of the Federation at the time of the war. Good riddance. Our group stepped past the threshold of the senate building and submitted for the security checks that our escort had told us about. As soon as we were cleared, we were led to one of several large doors, it looked like an oversized elevator. Inside was a holographic display of the building showing us our current position, along with a small keypad to the side. I braced myself for the elevator to start ascending as our escort input some numbers into the pad but nearly fell over when it unexpectedly started moving sideways. James chuckled amusedly and I looked at him with a mock pouty face, my tail flicking in slight annoyance. Our escort tried to wipe a tiny smirk off his face as he helped me back to my feet. “We had these installed after a couple instances of people passing out trying to navigate around. Most Coalition species don’t have the amount of endurance humans do and this building is quite large.”
Several moments later the tram came to a halt and the doors slid open. The escort chaperoned us down a short hallway with a decently sized wooden door at the end. I braced myself for whoever would be behind it. Impressions were of utmost importance when meeting government officials. However, I was not prepared for who I would see as the door swung open.
Is that an Arxur?
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(This is my first major post on NatureofPredators, any criticism or advice is welcome! I want to make my stories inviting and pleasant to read! Also, please notify me if you find any formatting errors, I'm not very familiar with Reddit's formatting.)

My party (6 PCs of Level 5) has to pass through Frozen Flynduke, an ancient Stone Giant fortress and town now overrun by gnoll warbands. There are three gnoll warband camps throughout the town, all with their own looks, weapons, and special monsters. They're all there for a ritual for their deity Yeenoghu, that is being performed by a Gnoll Deathmage.
To exit the fortress the party needs to break a seal to bring down an enchantment on the gate. As such they've had to venture into town to find the seal and fight their way out. Currently they're in an underground passage home to a deadly gnoll shaman.
Give me your ideas for cool encounters/puzzles/events. It's a big place so be creative
Some ideas: - Gnoll horde chases the party up a tower and they have to hold them back while looking for an escape (perhaps zipline to another tower) - Stealth mission to scout out the different warbands and gain info on them. Each warband leader could have part of the seal - An outcast gnoll that wants to use the party to take revenge on a group in a warband

Hello
Here's a thought experiment. Imagine that, in 2017, Activision did not publish Call of Duty: WWII but instead Call of Duty: Eternal. This is a story which is very much the same as what Call of Duty: WWII transpired as but with a couple of significant differences. For a start, it's not set during World War Two - it's set in a fantasy world with a 1940s/50s level of technology. A global war is raging between mankind and Orks, with the Orks having conquered great tracts of the world, and the story opening with the efforts by humanity to retake "Albion" from Ork occupation. I like to imagine the faces of Call of Duty fans when the first trailer came out and, seeing what looked like D-Day, got excited that at last the franchise was going back to its roots - only to see that the enemies are Orks and the main character is a Lenape woman.
To help with this imagining - below you'll find the full script for the first mission of Call of Duty: Eternal, based on the first mission of Call of Duty: WWII. The rest will gradually follow.
You might find it useful to follow along using this video - a walkthrough (no commentary, thank God) of the actual first mission in Call of Duty: WWII to help with visualising it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7y1bDQBEhA
Call of Duty: Eternal Mission 1 X-Day
Text slowly appears on-screen:
The world is bathed in flames.
The Ork clans, united for the first time in centuries, are on the march.
Man faces extermination.
A human skull is shown before an Ork boot comes down on it, shattering it.
Radio broadcast: With unmatched ferocity, the Ork war machine has launched its onslaught against the world… mankind faces the abyss.
The camera pans up on the Ork boot to show an Ork soldier as, behind him, Ork soldiers and tanks move through a devastated city.
Radio broadcast: As we brace for our darkest hour, we must summon our strength to be the bulwark against oppression.
Ork bombers are shown bombing London, recognisable for the Thames if not for the architecture. They are four-engine bombers, like B-17s, and the camera closes in on a propeller which shifts to a ceiling fan.
Radio broadcast: The Ork onslaught will be the greatest test we'll ever face.
The camera pans down from the ceiling fan Mona Kanti, a young Lenape woman and the protagonist, is shown joining the Imperial Armed Forces. She stands in a line in a recruitment office as a recruitment officer stamps her papers.
Radio broadcast: But face it and defeat it… we must.
To punctuate the “we must,” a sudden cut to black with the sound cut out. Then, we hear the voice of the Ork Primarch. A speech plays, meant to mirror FDR’s D-Day Prayer, with shots of the Ork war machine we’ve been hearing so much about.
Primarch: With this war we set upon a mighty endeavour.
Fade from black to show huge lines of Ork soldiers in formation, like big Nazi rallies, are shown.
Primarch: A struggle to restore our civilization…
Ork soldiers on one knee in this rally are shown, closer up, dressed in battle gear and their faces daubed in war paint.
Primarch: …and to set free a suffering people.
A view from the rear of the rally, with the vast architecture of the Primarch’s palace shown looming over it all, resembling the Palace of the Soviets.
Primarch: Our Sons. Pride of our Clans.
Another panning shot of the assembled Orks, this time from the side.
Primarch: May the Mother lead them straight and true.
An Ork mystic, on the balcony overlooking the assembly, blesses the troops with hands raised to the sky.
Primarch: The road will be glorious. Men's souls will be broken with the beauty of war.
A shot from behind the mystic, seeing the assembled troops stretching towards the horizon.
Primarch: In this time of fire and blood…
The face of one Ork soldier is shown up close.
Primarch: …we shall prevail.
With the slightest of grimaces, the Ork uses a knife – and, in the background, we see the others doing the same – to ritualistically slice his forehead and let blood trickle down.
The cutscene then shifts to the Imperial Navy ships, including battleships of a scale similar to the Super Yamato, that are heading for the beaches of Albion. Mona Kanti is writing a letter to her sister, Luna Kanti, and we hear her voice-over as we view shots of the fleet.
Kanti (narrating): Luna. Oh, I wish you could see this, sister. An armada from one horizon to the next. I turned sixteen too late to help free Ériu. But not Albion – and it’s gonna be tougher. Much tougher. You know, I think I could bear the blood, and the misery… and the Orks. But the waiting… well, that’s a whole other battle.
Inside the troopship living quarters. We are now in first-person as Kanti. Kanti is sat at a table, hanging out and talking with her squad-mates Kinsi Rei (female Somali; shaved head), Thea Adlai, (female Swedish; ginger, freckles, glasses) and Ren Tao (male Chinese). Ren Tao is eighteen – the others are all sixteen. Bunks are stretched out behind them and other soldiers, of all ethnicities and sexes, walk by throughout. Rei is holding court while playing with a knife, every now and then jabbing between her fingers.
Rei: So she asks me for my watch and I'm thinking, "what in the Nether do you want my watch for; your parents make like fifty times mine!" But I turn around, and I felt this punch. And it's cold like ice.
Some of the dialogue is drowned out by Kanti’s narration. Every now and then, Kanti glances down at her fingers as she snaps them, but whatever she’s trying to do with that isn’t happening.
Kanti (narrating): Believe it or not, I managed to make some half-decent friends in Basic. All scared as can be. But nobody’s letting on.
Rei keeps playing her knife game as she talks.
Kanti (narrating): I hated Rei when I met her – and now she's my best friend. Funny how that works. She's always looking for trouble. If there wasn't already a war on she'd be off trying to start one.
Rei offers her knife to Thea Adlai and, though we can’t hear her given the narration, seems to be asking her if she wants to try the knife game. Adlai refuses.
Adlai: Besides, I gotta keep all my fingers if I'm gonna take photo of the year.
Kanti (narrating): Adlai says she's gonna be a photographer for a fashion magazine. She’s got a good eye. Except when she takes off her glasses – then she can’t see shit.
Rei offers her knife to Kanti and Kanti turns to Ren Tao.
Kanti (narrating): Tao's the vet but, if I’m honest, he's what kokomi would call “a bit of a bumpkin.”
Ren Tao is tempted to play Rei’s knife game.
Tao: Okay, okay. Let's make this interesting.
Rei: It’s not interesting? Kanti – what’re you doing?
She says this in reference to Kanti’s finger-snapping.
Kanti (narrating): I swear I used to be able to do this…
Tao: So you keep saying.
Tao take off his talisman and dangles it in front of Rei.
Tao: Xu Yaling. Spirit of war.
Adlai: And sex, right?
Tao: Sssh. (Rei and Adlai laugh) He's had my back since Sabha. And, yeah, that’s real gold. (drops the talisman down on the table) Rei, three times in ten seconds, and he's all yours. (Sits back down)
Rei: I don't know.
Tao: Oh, you could always wimp out. That’s a choice, too.
Kanti: My money's on Rei.
Rei: Okay. Okay, I'm in.
Adlai: I can't watch.
Tao: I can.
Rei looks to Adlai.
Rei: Just time me when I tell you. Back to my story – me and my girls, we muscled our way into this chess game that the wrestling team had going. We had a bona-fide genius among us – but it was me playing. We worked out a system where she can signal to me what moves to make. You should have seen the Head Girl’s face when I took that pot. (To Adlai) You ready? That's what happens when you try to hustle a hustler. Now…
Rei plays the knife game while Adlai times her and wins the bet in a few impressive seconds.
Rei: Checkmate!
Tao: There ain’t no way!
Kanti (narrating): Tao had enough fight in him for two men.
Rei: Much obliged.
Rei offers to shake hands with Tao.
Tao: My mother told me never touch a Nube.
Rei doesn’t flinch but you can tell she’s ready to throw hands. Instead…
Rei: That's not what she said last night.
Rei winks and Tao shakes her hand.
Kanti (narrating): And enough bigotry for six.
Tao: Meh, who needs a stupid talisman anyway.
Rei: Apparently, you did. Here, have it back.
Tao: You won it.
Rei: It’s fake gold.
Tao: What? No, no, no, that’s as real as you or I.
Rei: A hustler always knows.
Tao: Ah, whatever, if it’s fake I don’t want it. I'm gonna get something better. A real trophy. You'll see.
Rei: Good luck with that.
Kanti snaps her fingers and finally produces what she wanted – a finger of flame, like a lighter, appears.
Kanti: I did it! Look, look, I did it!
Rei: Well, by Baphometh, isn’t that something?
Tao: That’s very pretty, Kanti. You’re ready to take on the Primarch, I should think.
Rei: She was always ready. Right Kanti?
Tao: You got any healing spells we could use or is it all evil magic with you?
Kanti: Well-
Rei: Oh, go on, tell him, Kanti! Tell him about that thing you can do!
Adlai: What thing?
Rei: And there’s no such thing as good and evil magic. Just good and evil people.
Kanti: It’s not that I can do it; it’s just that it happens sometimes. When someone’s dead I can kinda, you know, see into their past. But they have to of died recently. And I can’t do it with most people.
Tao: Well, we’re invading Fortress Albion, my friend. Good time to find yourself some corpses.
Rei: Maybe even your own.
Adlai: Hey, Kanti, do that spell again for the camera.
Adlai raises her camera then, seeing her watch, realizes that they are late for the mission briefing.
Adlai: Oh! Never mind, briefing’s at 18:00; we're gonna be late!
Adlai jumps up and runs from the room. The others also stand.
Tao: Run, little mouse.
Rei: I got us covered Kanti; don't worry about it (Showing the pendant to Kanti and winking). It is real gold.
As Kanti and Rei leave the living quarters, they encounter Khand, their turban-wearing sergeant, and in terms of personality very much a cranky sergeant stereotype.
Khand: Briefing's about to start; what in the Nether are you idiots doing?
Kanti (narrating): Then there's Sergeant Khand. He’s a sweetheart.
Khand: Oh, you think you're special, huh? The Orks are gonna eat you alive.
Rei: No, not me, sergeant. I’m high in salt.
Khand: Watch your lip, Rei. On me.
Khand leaves. The other two move to follow.
Rei: Since I'm obviously on a lucky streak, whatever happens, stay close. First Albion, then the Great Pale, then home in time for tea and medals. We got this, Kanti.
Scene fades out.
All of the 66th Infantry Division troops are on the deck of the ship as the rain pours down and Colonel Kitwana, a Swahili man, gives his pre-battle speech. As he does, we see the soldiers assembled watching him.
Kitwana: Today… we embark on an operation of unparalleled importance. To establish a beachhead in Albion… and roll back the Ork horde... that has terrorized the world since before many of you were born. We are all that separates the world from darkness. This is so much more than a chance to be heroes in our own lifetimes. If we prevail… our triumphs will be etched into the hearts and minds of a grateful world for untold generations. I'm talking about glory. True glory.
Kanti narrates her letter to Luna and soldiers begin to climb down the cargo net on the side of the ship into landing craft. These craft start making for the Albion coast.
Kanti (narrating): Colonel Kitwana can give a nice speech. His pep talk reminded me of the one Coach Pakwa gave us on our Mother’s Night game against Susquehanna. I'm sure you remember we lost by 67 points. (Focuses on Sokolov and Khand) Always looking over Khand’s shoulders is Lieutenant Sokolov. He's got him on a tight leash. But if Khand breaks free, we'll all get bit. Ever since I found my gift, I wanted to be like you, Luna. You've always been a tough act to follow. But I'll do my best.
Gameplay
We are now in first-person again as Kanti.
Kanti (narrating): It's now or never.
Kanti is writing in her notebook, the photo of Luna pinned to a page, as their landing craft drives for the Albion shore. Kanti is interrupted by Rei.
Rei: Hey! I wish I was coming home to her!
Kanti: That’s my sister! Just wait ‘til we hit Lutetia. Enough girls for the rest of your long life.
Rei: I’m starting to realise how far away it is.
Kanti take a quick glance at her notebook and closes it before tucking it into her pack.
Sokolov: Remember. No digging in at the shore. You advance. You need to stay low and do not bunch up. Stick to your training and you're gonna make it through.
Khand: Most of you, anyway.
Medium bombers pass by overhead, resembling the Junkers Ju 88 (in this universe known as Dragons) on a heading towards Albion.
Tao: Alright! Give em hell, boys.
Text appears across the screen.
X-DAY Lùnastal 17th, 397 NE Rheged, Northern Albion
Rei: The beaches are meant to be flattened, right?
Khand: You sound scared, Private.
Rei: No, sir.
Khand: You should be.
Driver: Hey, you! You!
Kanti turns to look at the landing craft’s driver behind her.
Driver: Got a light?
Kanti: Sure thing.
Kanti snaps her fingers a couple times and produces the flame again.
Driver: Oh – you’re one of them.
Soldier: Never trust a witch.
As the driver lights his cigarette on her finger, a bullet hits the boat’s machine gunner in the throat; he falls, flailing, with blood spurting out of his neck like in a Tarantino film. Shells start to fall.
Driver: Bastards!
Sokolov: Everyone down!
Rei: This is it!
Ork artillery lands in the grey ocean all around, spraying the craft with water. Kanti crouches with the rest of the troops.
Soldier: Watch out!
Bullets bounce off the landing craft’s armour.
Soldier: This isn’t fun!
Driver: Five hundred yards!
Another shell lands nearby and sprays the craft with water. Kanti trips but is held up by Khand grabbing her arm.
Driver: We’re gonna have to pull off!
Sokolov: No, we stay on mission! You're taking us in!
Driver: We must have drifted! I can't see the landmark!
Khand: You heard the lieutenant. Full speed!
Sokolov: Incoming!
An artillery shells blows up the neighbouring landing craft.
Soldier: By the Gods!
Sokolov: Hold tight!
An artillery shell, again, lands near the boat.
Kanti: Damn it!
Driver: Two hundred yards!
Looking up, a Dragon bomber is visible coming down with an engine on fire.
Driver: Twenty seconds!
Sokolov: Remember the plan! Get to the seawall!
Khand: Ceres! Aradove! Get the bangalore to the wire, fast! Everyone ready? Here we go!
Sokolov: Drop the ramp!
Driver: There's no cover!
Khand: That was an order, damn you! Drop it!
The ramp drops just as a landing craft consumed with flames comes crashing into theirs.
Rei: Oh, shit!
Kanti is knocked off her feet by the impact. Looking up, she watches as machine gun fire from the clifftops chops down a number of soldiers on the boat now that the ramp has been dropped. One has his head blown off and his neck is left spouting blood over Kanti as others are also cut down.
Sokolov: Over the sides! Now! Now!
Kanti follows as the survivors climb over the boat’s side. She stays underwater for a few seconds before being helped to her feet by Sokolov, spluttering.
Sokolov: I got you, child!
Just behind him, the beach is consumed by fighting and the noise of war is deafening.
Sokolov: Get your head down and keep moving!
Sokolov leads Kanti out of the surf, a burning soldier falls screaming from another landing craft and into the water, while carnage reigns all around. Bodies are floating all about and the water is red with blood.
Sokolov: Kanti; on me!
Running through the sand as explosions go off all around, artillery can be seen curling from the Ork lines towards the beach. Sokolov and Kanti hit the deck in front of some Ork tank traps.
Sokolov: Demolition team is dead! Take the bangalore and get to the seawall! We need to clear a path to the bunkers!
Kanti temporarily looks away, back to the water, and witnesses the bloodshed of soldiers dying, and a number running out of a landing craft on fire, while a warship close to shore opens fire on the coastal defences. Sokolov gets Kanti’s attention.
Sokolov: Kanti!
An explosion goes off nearby, half-soaking Sokolov’s face with gore. Someone just blew up.
Sokolov: This is your job! You got that?! Now pick up the banger!
Kanti moves the severed arm of a dead soldier to retrieve the bangalore. She looks upon the dead soldier’s corpse and, suddenly, her vision fades away and she sees his memories. This is the first of the Internal Vortex collectibles which can be found throughout the game, whereby additional lore is provided through Kanti’s ability to tap into the memories of certain corpses (human and Ork). In this case, the accessed memory tells a brief story of the soldier (Private Omid Afshani) and how he was part of a traditional military family and all his brothers have already fallen, told he would be a general someday, how he was born on a ship evacuating Persia (which goes some way to explaining why the Imperial military is so multiethnic – the whole world evacuated to the Americas) and how his last letter home from the ship told of how “I can’t wait to hear the birdsong again.”
Afterwards, she returns to lucidity.
Sokolov: Kanti! Kanti! You with me?!
Kanti: Yes!
Sokolov: You can do this!
Sokolov stands and starts running up the beach. Kanti watches after him.
Kanti: I hope so, sir!
Kanti looks at the dead soldier that was carrying the torpedo bangalore, and with one hand closes his eyes.
Kanti: Sorry.
Kanti takes the body’s R7 Remi rifle (comparable to the M1 Garand) and proceeds up the beachhead, trying not to get killed. The machine gun nests in the clifftop fortifications will open fire on the soldiers then wait for a few seconds to reload. This will be the player's chance to move up to avoid taking damage. The player moves from cover to cover – tank traps, the wreckage of vehicles such as half-tracks and light tanks, and shell craters, mostly.
Khand: Hurry before they reload! Move it!
Sokolov: Kanti! This way! Hurry! Stop and you’re dread!
Tao: Shit!
Sokolov: Those MGs are killing us! Get off the beach!
Khand: Private Kanti – get to the seawall!
Rei: Get to the seawall! I’ll meet you there!
A couple of armoured vehicles – light tanks resembling Soviet BT-7s, here called LT-5 Termites – are now also moving up the beach and providing fire support. One blows up.
Sokolov: Keep low. When there’s a break in the fire, run for it!
There’s a break in the fire – you run for it.
Sokolov: Kanti, get the bangalore!
When Kanti reaches the seawall, which is made up of a big mound of sand lined at its top by barbed fire and burning gasoline, she falls against it. Her fellow soldiers fall in alongside her or are already there. A lot of wounded are also there, being treated by medics as machine gun fire flies over their heads. Rei falls next to Kanti, her face covered in dirt and blood.
Rei: Kanti! Use the banger; I'll cover you! After we breach, keep pushing toward the bunker!
Kanti: You’re covered in blood.
Rei: It’s not mine. Focus!
Kanti sets up the torpedo bangalore, made up of two cylindrical rods, with the second able to fit inside the first. Her handling is shaky and she drops one rod. Rei picks it up for her and gives it back.
Rei: We're nearly there!
Kanti pushes the torpedo bangalore into the seawall.
Rei: Pull it! Pull it!
Kanti: Fire in the hole!
Kanti scrambles backwards and the bangalore explodes, tearing a hole in the seawall for the soldiers to pour through, dirt pouring down like rain.
Sokolov: Weapons ready! Fix bayonets!
Kanti fumbles for her bayonet and fixes it to her rifle. You can now use this as a melee weapon against enemy infantry.
Rei: Ready to see your first Ork?
Sokolov: Attack!
Sokolov leads the troops through the hole – and many, though not Sokolov, are cut down.
Rei: Let's go! Let's go! Let's go! Let's go! Let's go!
Sokolov: Push forward!
After passing through the hole, you are faced with a clearing sprinkled with tank traps and barbed wire. After that, trenches, and then the bluffs with fortifications spitting machine gun fire.
Rei: Into the trench! Hurry!
Soldier: Orks!
You now face your first Ork drones as you push towards the trenches. Once you get into the trench, you slowly clear it and a mortar position, presumably losing Health as you do. Once done, you turn a corner deeper into the trenches where Rei is located.
Rei: That wound looks bad! Here, take this!
Rei throws a health pack to Kanti. The player can now call on Rei, when the squad meter fills, to add a pack for a total of four.
Kanti: Many thanks!
The player moves through the trenches, clearing out Ork drones. Friendly troops leap across the trenches. The player then gets to the end of the trenches and reaches the bluffs covered by Ork fortifications. A slope goes uphill between the bluffs but machine gun fire pins the friendly troops down and makes it impassable.
Khand: We can't advance with those MGs firing on our position!
Sokolov: Hold tight. Fire support incoming!
Khand: Kanti, mark the target!
Khand throws a canister to Kanti. Kanti catches it and throws it uphill towards the Ork bunkers. Red smoke emanates. Sokolov is shouting into a radio.
Sokolov: Kestrel, target is lit up! Hit it now and hit it hard!
Radio: Roger, we have your smoke visual. Attack run inbound.
Explosions hit the MG bunker as rockets from a trio of dive-bombing jets which resemble de Havilland Vampires (in this universe called Banshees) come in and obliterate the fortifications. The jets pass by close overhead.
Tao: That's it! Let 'em have it!
Adlai: MGs are dead!
Kanti: (laughs) They tore them to shreds!
Sokolov: Get to the top!
You and your squad move up the hill – a wounded Ork, both arms missing, stumbles from the smoke and still tries to fight by biting at Sokolov. Sokolov shoots it down.
Sokolov: Crazy bastards.
More Ork infantry advance.
Ork: I shall wear your hide as a coat!
After defeating these Orks, the player advances to the top of the hill through which additional trenches burrow.
Sokolov: Kanti; I need you and Rei to take point and clear those bunkers! Go!
Rei: Had to be us!
You move in with your squad. There are five bunkers to clear. The first has a clearing full of mortar positions, where Ork infantry defend, and there’s more firing at you from inside the bunker itself.
Sokolov: Orks are dug in. Kanti, get a grenade in that bunker!
You break into the bunker and clear it out, including the machine gun post covering the beach.
Rei: First one’s down!
Sokolov: Bunker’s clear – everyone out.
You move on. Taking the adjoining trenches, you come across an Ork Officer – larger and more heavily armoured than the Drones you’ve been fighting so far – holding a human soldier by the neck. Assuming you shoot him in the head, the only non-armoured part, he’ll go down and the soldier is saved.
Soldier: Thanks! I owe you!
If not, and your bullets bounce off the Officer’s armour, he crushes the man’s neck in his hand and comes for you.
After that, you drive on through the trenches, killing a few more Orks, before turning and entering an underground bunker. Inside, the entry is covered by a machine gun post.
Khand: MG's pinning us! Someone toss a smoke!
You can do that, or you can perhaps kill the machine gunner. Up to you. Afterwards, you drive on through the underground bunker. It’s a bit of a catacomb full of dormitories and a radio room. Eventually, you clear it.
Khand: Bunker's clear. Let's go!
Sokolov: Everybody out, bunker's clear!
You head back outside, 2 of 5 bunkers complete. You continue through the trenches, meeting fresh Orks.
Rei: There’s artillery hitting the beach! The next assault wave won’t make it!
Khand: Keep pushing! That artillery is hammering our ships!
Kanti: On it, sir! Yeah, I can do this, I can do this…
You carry on through the trench. Some Banshee jet fighters screech overhead. Reaching the entrance to the next bunker, you see a friendly – Corporal Lieu – with an F3 Inferno – a backpack flamethrower. He fires it down the bunker at unseen enemy troops before being gunned down.
Kanti: I'm going in!
Rei: Careful!
You enter the bunker – you can pick up the F3 Inferno as you do, which doesn’t last long but which is fun to use.
Ork: Come, little men!
You clear the bunker. As you reach the machine gun post, you enter into a quicktime moment. Kanti gets ambushed around a corner by an Ork soldier, who grabs her by the throat and pins her to the wall, but she jams her combat knife into his neck. Falling from his grasp, she sees the machine gunner just as a shell from a ship offshore hits the bunker dead-on and blows it, and him, to smithereens. Rei appears from the dust and helps Kanti to her feet.
Rei: Shit! Fucking Navy. Don’t they believe in us?
Returning from the machine gun nest, some Orks have shown up to try and retake the bunker. Take them out and then the bunker’s cleared.
The next bunker is just a hop from this one – you enter, at first finding nobody, before discovering an Ork pinning an Imperial soldier to the wall.
Soldier: Somebody help!
You, I should hope, kill the Ork.
Soldier: Thanks! Oh, hey, a girl…
Kanti: You wish.
You drive into the bunker, in the heart of which is a mortar position, and take out the Ork defenders. With that, the bunker is cleared.
Khand: Move up, move up!
Everyone rallies at the big steel door at the end of the bunker.
Khand: Adlai. Tao. With me. Kanti, you and Rei clear the next bunker. Rally at the top of the bluff, and for fuck’s sake try not to get yourselves killed.
You interact with the big steel door and open it, before going with Rei down some more trenches.
Kanti: Alright, Rei. One more!
Rei: We got this!
You turn a corner into a clearing before the bunker. There’s Orks both defending it on the ground and a sniper on top of the bunker itself. After dealing with this, you head inside, Rei behind you.
As you enter the bunker, Kanti is ambushed by an Ork Major – she is thrown to the floor and the Ork stands over her, pulling out a knife.
Ork: Never did fear smell so sweet.
Rei jumps onto its back and holds onto him around the neck. The Ork manages to throw Rei onto the ground before stabbing her through the belly.
Kanti: Rei! Oh, shit, no!
The Ork soldier leaves the wounded Rei, knife still sticking from her stomach, and approaches Kanti.
Ork: Stand and face me, woman. Show some honour.
Kanti stands and fights the Ork, which through its superior strength easily ends up on top of her, taking away her knife and now pushing it down towards her with both hands. Then, Kanti’s hands light up and the flames return – her whole hands are on fire. The Ork roars in pain and surprise and backs away, looking at its burned hands, before Kanti runs at him as the flames go out and tackles him to the ground. The Ork is still stronger and goes back to throttling her – but they’ve fallen near Rei, who yanks the knife out of her belly and jams it into the Ork’s chest.
Ork: The glory…
The Ork dies. Kanti climbs off and approaches Rei, who suddenly brandishes a pistol.
Kanti: Whoa, Rei…
Rei: Duck!
Kanti does so and Rei shoots the unseen Ork which was behind her. Kanti looks back to Rei, who is dealing with quite a lot of pain.
Kanti: Come on, you’re okay, you’re okay.
Rei: I can't walk.
Kanti pulls up Rei’s uniform to see her stomach – the wound is gushing blood.
Kanti: Oh, shit…
Rei: That bad?
Kanti: It’s not great.
Rei: Would you mind getting me out of here?
An explosion, presumably artillery – Kanti looks down the bunker to see it shudder, rubble falling from the ceiling.
Kanti: Yeah, course, no problem Kinsi, just stay with me, okay? Can you do that?
Rei: I’m gonna have to try. Pulling that knife out was pretty fucking stupid, huh?
Kanti: No comment. Come on.
The player starts dragging Rei out of the bunker and outside. Across a pretty dangerous clearing are friendly lines.
Kanti: We've gotta get back to friendly lines!
Kanti starts dragging Rei across the grass
Rei: On your left!
Kanti shoots the Orks which appear from the left with her pistol and keeps going.
Rei: You’re gonna… have to tell me… how you did that fire thing.
Kanti: I will when I figure it out myself!
They keep going.
Kanti: Not much further. Just keep pressure on that wound.
Rei: I’m trying!
Kanti drags Rei to a wall of sandbags and clambers over them.
Kanti: We gotta take cover!
Rei, in what is pretty clearly a painful endeavour, follows suit and lays in the mud. With her pistol, Kanti faces the Orks now coming for them.
Ork: Tasty, salty man-flesh!
Rei: How many?
Kanti: Too many!
Once the Orks are dispatched, Kanti looks back down at Rei.
Kanti: We're clear! Come on!
Kanti starts dragging Rei through the mud.
Rei: You call that fuckin' clear?
They skirt the edge of the trenches – an Imperial soldier with a flamethrower is dousing a group of Orks in fire. They continue along the edge of the trench, which is lined with barbed wire and so inaccessible, at least for Rei.
Rei: I'm losing too much blood. I think. You need more than half, right?
Kanti: Just hang in there! I gotta find a clearing to get in the trench!
Kanti places Rei down as smoke canisters pop, obscuring the next Ork wave to come their way.
Ork (from somewhere in the smoke): The clan will feast on you!
Kanti: Keep your head down!
Rei: Did you get 'em?
Kanti: They keep coming! How many of these fuckers are there?!
After taking out four or five, Kanti turns back to Rei.
Rei: Watch out!
Rei, with her sidearm, shoots down an Ork drone running at them from behind.
Rei: Still got it.
Kanti: Now’s our chance!
Kanti keep dragging Rei along the edge of the trench, smoke from the Ork canisters obscuring everything. As she goes, an Ork grenade lands at her feet.
Kanti: Fuck!
Kanti throws grabs it and throws it away. She sees an open area in the trench.
Kanti: Bingo!
Kanti jumps down into the trench, up to her ankles in mud, then turns back to Rei.
Kanti: I got you!
Rei rolls off the edge of the trench and lands in the mud at Kanti’s feet. A few more Orks appear from the smoke and Kanti shoots them down. She then looks down at Rei, who’s on the edge of losing consciousness, and then looks down the trench where more Ork infantry are coming at them.
Kanti: Oh, give us a break!
Kanti takes them out. Then, she turns back to Rei and starts dragging her down the trench.
Rei: Oh, wow, I'm actually bleeding out.
Kanti: Just keep pressure on it!
Rei: I’m trying! I’m trying!
Kanti: Almost there!
They reach some concrete steps – a friendly soldier is at the top.
Soldier: Come on up here! Move, move!
Kanti starts dragging Rei up the stairs – the soldier runs down and helps.
Soldier: I got you!
Two Orks come around the corner – someone on the top of the stairs shoots them both down. They reach the top of the stairs and find themselves in the middle of a friendly improvised triage centre. Kanti lays Rei down, whose face is very dazed, as she flicks off her helmet, blood trickling from her mouth.
Kanti: Okay. Stay with me. Healer!
Nobody comes – everyone’s busy.
Rei: I need morphine. All the morphine.
Kanti takes out a syringe of morphine, pulls off the cap with her teeth, and injects Rei in the thigh. Rei’s breathing is strained and painful. Kanti puts a hand under her head as a pillow.
Kanti: You gotta hang on. Those girls in Lutetia are waiting for you.
Rei: Really?
Kanti: Of course.
Rei: I… uh… how about another look at your sister?
Rei manages a smile, sniggering through the pain, and Kanti laughs, too.
Kanti: You’re infuriating.
Rei: It's okay. I can't see shit. I'm just gonna rest right here.
Rei’s eyes close.
Kanti: No, no, no, you need to stay awake. Hey.
Kanti puts her hand against Rei’s face, slapping her awake, and Rei’s eyes open.
Rei: Mona…
Kanti: I'm here.
Rei makes eye contact.
Rei: Help me.
Kanti: I need a fucking Healer!
A Healer finishes treating a wounded soldier and rushes over, taking over from Kanti in trying to stop the bleeding.
Healer: I got this! Go!
Kanti looks back down at Rei.
Kanti: But… but I…
Sokolov appears, standing over them.
Sokolov: Kanti! He'll take care of her. I need you with me. (to others) Listen up! There's an Ork cannon just a little up the road. It's tearing up the beach – we’re gonna stop it. Let's roll!
Kanti looks back down at Rei, who’s reaching out to her. Kanti takes her hand for a moment.
Kanti: Just stay alive, okay?
For a moment, with Rei on the very edge of death, little flickers of her memories flash before Kanti’s eyes. We see her mother telling her she’s a disappointment, Rei sitting in a prison cell, and then being told by a recruiting officer that “the Army’s running out of men – we need some ladies ready to be heroes.” Then Kanti returns to lucidity and Rei’s face.
Rei: I promise.
Their hands part and Kanti stands, grabbing a rifle, and joins the rest of the squad.
Sokolov: Check your ammo and grenades!
Khand: You heard him! Up the road, now!
Kanti and the rest of the squad move out of the top of the bunker, along a field pock-marked with craters, then go onto a dirt road leading towards a farm.
Kanti: Moving up!
Khand: Let's move!
Sokolov: Be ready – these Orks don’t look like the surrendering type!
You keep moving up the road, finding some dead cows as you go.
Khand: Move fast! They're shelling the beach to shit!
You reach the target – a machine-gun nest is set up in a half-destroyed farmhouse and starts shooting at you as you appear.
Sokolov: MG in the hay loft! Take cover and take it out!
After taking out the machine gun, you keep moving up to fight Orks among the farmhouses and hay bales. A large artillery cannon is in the centre and you move to clear it and secure the area, moving in a couple of the farmhouses to do so.
Adlai: Where’s all the civilians?
Khand: In the Ork’s stomachs, probably!
Once you’ve cleared everything, silence seems to fall.
Soldier: Orks coming in from the south! A lot of them!
Sokolov: They’re gonna try to retake the cannon! We gotta hold this position!
Khand: Not a step backwards!
The squad defends the position as a couple waves of Orks swarm towards them. You can use the machine gun posts in the upper floors of the farmhouses to help fight them off.
Adlai: There’s too many of them!
Khand: Hold! Have courage!
Still the Orks swarm the field to the south – until explosions start to blow them away. Termite tanks appear from the left, their 45mm guns tearing through the Orks, which are either slaughtered or flee.
Tao: Our boys are coming in!
Adlai: Look at them scatter!
Sokolov: Alright, everyone. We mopped them up good. I don’t think they’ll be back.
Khand: Clear! Destroy that cannon!
Kanti goes to the cannon and crouches down behind it. An Imperial soldier appears next to her.
Soldier: Thermite!
The soldier carries a number of thermite charges inside his helmet like a bucket and empties them out in front of Kanti. Kanti lights one of them.
Kanti: Fire in the hole!
Everyone backs away – you probably should too – and the thermite explodes. The cannon is destroyed.
Sokolov: Excellent work, Kanti. Alright, everyone, rally on me to the assembly point. Khand, I'll need a casualty report. We lost so many.
Khand: But we took the beach.
Sokolov: What a price.
At the rally point, Rei is on a stretcher on the ground, a cigarette in her mouth as Tao is knelt next to her.
Rei: Kanti...
Rei tries to sit up and Tao puts out a hand to encourage her to lay back down. Given the pain on Rei’s face, that’s probably a good idea.
Tao: Man, I thought I'd seen everything…
Kanti: She gonna be okay?
Tao: Yeah. They taped her up pretty good.
Rei: I should’ve stayed on the boat.
Tao: Oh, now she tells us.
Kanti: Hey, what you did back there… I owe you. Big time.
Rei: I’d say we're even.
Kanti: We'll see this through.
Rei smiles.
Rei: To the end. I guess.
Kanti: Whenever that may be.
Sokolov and Khand walk by behind Rei; Sokolov addresses everyone. Kanti glances up at them, then back at Rei, who just gives her a knowing nod, then stands as she looks back at their superiors.
Sokolov: Beachhead's secured. We'll bivouac at the second hedgerow after the ridge. It’s not over, everyone.
Behind them, a couple of dead Orks are being examined. Adlai is taking photos of one while a soldier gently kicks the head of another.
Soldier: Stop kicking it.
Soldier #2: I don’t wanna.
Khand regards Kanti. There’s blood in his beard.
Khand: Welcome to the Smiling Sixty Sixth. You're a long way from home, farm girl.
Khand walks off. Sokolov watches Kanti, then approaches when Khand is out of earshot.
Sokolov: That’s his way of saying he’s grateful. You did well. Not bad for your first day.
Kanti: Thanks, sir. I, uh…
Sokolov puts a hand on Kanti’s shoulder.
Sokolov: You'll be alright, child.
Kanti: Yes, sir.
Sokolov pats her shoulder, nods, then walks off. Kanti looks down at her hands, covered in dirt and blood, which hold each other before slowly separating.
Kanti: Course I will.
The level ends.

Hi! I’m going on a 40 day solo trip to Japan next June. (I know that’s a long way away but I love to plan.) I’ve always loved the idea of solo travel and the culture in Japan but I’ve never had the chance to experience it myself.
As it is so far away and don’t like to have a ridged schedule I haven’t planned my exact day to day but I have a list of places I plan to visit while in each city.
Not sure if this is worth mentioning but I will be 18. I’m not sure how much this changes with Japanese laws.
Tokyo - 7 Nights
I would prefer to arrive at Haneda as I believe it’s closer to Shinjuku which is where I’ll be staying. I don’t plan to do much the first day.
General things to do and places to visit while staying in Shinjuku:
-Gyoen National Garden -Omoide Yokocho -View from Government Building -Kabukicho Tower -Kabukicho -Izakaya Hopping (but with ramen) -Book and Bed -Samurai Museum -Takadanobaba
Sapporo - 3 Nights
I would fly from Tokyo to Sapporo to get around the 10 hour train ride. (It’s also cheaper)
-Sapporo TV Tower -Odori Park -Tanuki Koji Shopping Street -Nijo Seafood Market -Susukino District @ Night -Ramen Alley -Mt. Moiwa -Fushimi Inari Temple -Hokkaido Modern Art Museum
Otaru - 2 Nights -Ice Cream -Walk around canal -Otaru Museum -Music Box Museum -Antique Shops -Sushi
Furano - 1 day (28 July) -Biei Pond -Shikosai no Oka -Cycling -Melon House??? -Hike
Nagoya - 2 Nights
Once again I would be flying to save money and time.
-Toyota Factory + Museum -Nagoya Science Museum -Osu Shopping Street -Explore Sakae -Walk Yamazaki River
Osaka - 5 Nights -Dotomdori District -Universal Studios Japan (probably not) -Osaka Castle -Shinsaibashi-Suji Shopping Street -Kuchu Teien Observatory -Namba Shops -Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine -Kuromon Market -Teamlab Osaka -Tenjinbashisuji
Kyoto - 3 Nights -Fushimi Inari-Taisha Shrine -Kinkajuji Shrine -Sanjusangendo Temple -Arashiyama -Gion -Monkey Park -Nishiki Market -Kyoto Tower -Mt Shosha
Hiroshima - 2 Nights (posibly 1 more for cat island) -Hiroshima Peace Museum -Hiroshima Castle -Miyajima Island -Ao Island (maybe)
Fukuoka - 2 Nights -Kushiro Shrine -Ohori Park -Uminonakamichi Seaside Park -Tenjin Underground Shopping -Fukuoka Tower -Nokonoshima Island -Momochi Seaside Park -Jim US Burger -Kuiyoiken Ramen
Okinawa - 3 Nights
I would be flying from Fukuoka to Okinawa.
-Shuri Castle -Churaumi Aquarium -Diving -Okinawa Peace Park -Mihama American Village -Kokusai Dori Street -Cape Manza -Miyako Island -Zamami Island
Hakone - 1 Night
I would fly from Okinawa to Tokyo. Then take a train to Hakone.
-Hot Spring -Chisuji Falls -Lake Ashi -Hakone Shrine
Enoshima -Iwaya Caves -Terrace Mall -Kamakura day trip -See the Town As cringe as it is I saw an anime a while back that impacted me. It is supposedly 1 for 1 set in the Enoshima area so it would be super cool.
Tokyo - 7 Nights (again)
This time I would stay in the Shibuya area.
-Meiji Jingu Shrine -Shibuya Crossing -Yoyogi Park -Hachiko Dog Statue (from that movie) -Takeshita Street -Cat Street -Shibuya Center-Gai -Shibuya Sky -Shibuya 109
If you have anything to add or suggestions, please share!
I would not be getting the JR pass as with the changes and my length of stay I would spend dramatically more money than I ever would just paying for everything with a Suica card (will all trains accept this? I know most will but will it pose a problem?)
Please let me know if you have any tips comments or concerns with my plans. I have a bunch of extra days laying around in Tokyo so I might do some day trips. Let me know if any you recommend.
I am expecting to spend about 8,000 USD on this trip. My breakdown is this. Does this all make sense. Obviously the less the better so if I hear I’m wrong that would be great. My plan for staying is AirBnB. In most places I would like to have a small kitchen. From the little bit I’ve seen I expect to spend 75 USD on average.
Budget:
$125 Daily Outline
———
$70 Housing
$40 Food
$15 Misc
———
Total Daily: $5,000
———
+$1,200 Flight
+$504 IC Card
+230 In Country
+$75 Sim Card
+$1221 Misc
———
Total Total: $8,000
Thanks a bunch!

Race against the clock in Runaway Express, a wild, thrilling game where you navigate a runaway train through a dark and mysterious underground. You'll solve puzzles and complete mini-games to keep momentum going as you pass through shadowy caverns, unknown tunnels, and treacherous rails to a thrilling finish. Pit your problem-solving skills against the relentless ticking clock as you race against time to finish your daring journey.